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THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 


B\b\e.  0.  \.  Er>Q\\sVi.'S£.\ed\ov.... 


The  Book  of  Yahweh 

(The  Yahwist  Bible) 

Fragments  from  the  Primitive  Document  in 

Seven  Early  Books  of  the 

Old  Testament 

By  An  Unknown  Genius  of  the 
Ninth  Century,  B.C. 

Arranged  by 
CLARIMOND  MANSFIELD,  A.M. 


THE  CORNHILL  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 
BOSTON        .  NEW  YORK 


Copyright   1922 
By  CLARIMOND  MANSFIELD 


Printed  in  the  United  States  of  America 


THE   JORDAN   AND    MORE    PRESS 
BOSTON 


This  collection  of  the  fragments  of  the  primitive  docu- 
ment is  reverently  dedicated  to  the  memory  of  the  great 
unknown  poet  prophet,  to  whom  both  Judaism  and 
Christianity  are  indebted  for  their  first  Bible. 

CM. 

August  IS,  1921,  Boston,  U.  S.  A. 


"  Do  not  ignore  the  past  but  study  it  —  study  it  diligently  as 
being  the  mightiest  factor  among  the  great  factors  of  our  human 
world."  —  Count   Korzybske. 

"  Out  of  that  past  we  have  come.  Into  it  we  are  constantly 
returning.  Meanwhile  it  is  of  the  utmost  importance  to  our 
lives.  It  contains  the  roots  of  all  we  are,  and  of  all  we  have  of 
wisdom."  —  C.  J.  Keyset.  "Human  Worth  of  Rigorous 
Thinking." 


FOREWORD 
Sacred  Books  before  1000  B.  C. 

All  Europe  no  doubt  was  "  the  wilderness  eternal "  at  this 
early  age,  long  before  the  days  of  Romulus  and  Remus  and  the 
wolf,  excepting  the  southern  point  of  Greece.  However,  a  famous 
civilization  flourished  on  the  coast  of  Asia  Minor  under  Minos, 
King  of  Crete,  perhaps  the  most  artistic  the  world  ever  has 
known.  Mr.  H.  G.  Wells  claims  their  exquisite  art  was  due  to 
the  fact  that  Cnosos  (Kvoxro?)  had  been  at  peace  for  over  a 
thousand  years! 

The  ''  Iliad  "  and  the  "  Odyssey  "  probably  were  composed 
hundreds  of  years  before  the  first  beginnings  of  the  Old  Testa- 
ment.* Yet  Matthew  Arnold  says  "  Homer  was  rapid,  clear, 
plain,  and  direct  in  thought  and  expression,  —  and  eminently 
noble." 

And  Dr.  EUot  says  in  ''  The  Harvard  Classics  "  that  "  artisti- 
cally, in  spite  of  their  early  date,  they  are  the  product  of  a 
mature  art,"  and  "  stand  at  the  head  of  the  literature  of  Greece 
and  of  the  Epic  poetry  of  the  world." 

What  number  of  authors  in  all  the  world's  history  have  won 
a  greater  meed  of  honor  than  "  The  blind  old  man  of  Scio's 
rocky  isle  "? 

Agamemnon  rouses  the  failing  courage  of  his  army  by  assuring 
them  ''  Father  Zeus  will  never  be  the  protector  of  liars  "  and  the 
son  of  Nestor  proclaims  that  "  all  mankind  hunger  after  God." 
Even  if  the  Greeks  were  limited  in  the  practice  of  their  ideals  by 
their  intensely  aristocratic  form  of  government,  their  ethical 
ideals,  at  least,  apparently  were  as  lofty  in  aspiration  as  our  own. 

Although  the  writers  of  Genesis  and  Exodus  make  no  mention 
of  the  pyramids,  we  know  now  that  the  Sphinx,  Chephron,  the 
brother  of  Cheops,  had  gazed  across  the  Egyptian  plains  for 
over  two  thousand  years  before  these  books  were  written  and 

*  Gladstone  gives  1200  B.C.  as  the  date  of  the  Homeric  poems. 


X  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

the  Pyramid  of  Cheops  still  remains  one  of  the  Seven  Wonders 
of  the  World.  The  Egyptian  obelisk  that  now  ornaments 
Central  Park,  New  York,  was  erected  near  the  site  of  Cairo 
almost  one  thousand  years  before  the  sublime  First  Chapter  of 
Genesis  was  written  by  Jewish  priests  in  captivity  by  the  waters 
of  Babylon. 

These  obelisks  which  now  stand  in  the  Place  de  la  Concorde, 
in  Paris,  on  the  Thames  Embankment  in  London,  and  in  Central 
Park,  New  York,  are  of  such  antiquity  that  Moses  and  his 
boyhood  friends  probably  passed  them  on  their  way  to  school, 
for  the  two  latter  stood  at  the  gate  of  the  learned  city  of  Helio- 
polis. 

The  superb  civilization  of  Ancient  Egypt  reached  the  climax 
of  its  splendour  in  art  and  science  between  3000  and  2400  B.  C. 
At  that  time  some  of  their  portrait  sculptures  were  of  so  high  an 
order  that  they  are  incomparable  and  in  delicacj'^  of  modelling 
never  have  been  surpassed  by  any  modern  masterpieces. 

It  is  said  to  have  been  due  to  their  religious  beUef  that  the 
souls  of  human  beings  returned  and  dwelt  in  the  statues  erected 
in  their  honor,  that  the  Egj^ptian  artists  attained  such  marvellous 
skill  in  portrait  sculpture.  So  it  was  necessary  to  make  the  like- 
ness as  accurate  as  possible,  in  order  that  the  "  soul  of  the  de- 
parted "  should  recognize  at  once,  the  earthly  habitation. 

The  divine  thirst  for  immortality  has  never  been  manifested 
more  touchingly  than  in  the  ancient  mummies  of  Egypt,  that 
swathed  with  balsams  and  aromatic  spices  to  prevent  decay,  sur- 
vived for  thousands  of  years,  it  being  their  religious  belief  that 
the  soul  could  live  on  after  death,  only  so  long  as  the  earthly 
body  with  which  it  had  been  connected,  was  preserved. 

The  great  Indian  Rishis  however  taught  that  the  soul  was 
supreme,  unlimited  by  the  body  after  death.  So  with  splendid 
consistency  they  burned  the  body,  which  the  soul  had  left,  to 
get  rid  of  it  as  soon  as  possible,  while  the  Egyptian,  on  the 
contrary,  strove  to  preserve  it  for  thousands  of  j^ears. 

The  Bible  of  the  ancient  Egyptians  was  the  curious  magical 
"Book  of  the  Dead  "  that  describes  the  strange  adventures  of  their 
heroes  after  death,  especially  the  day  of  judgment,  when  the 
heart  of  man  was  weighed  in  the  "  balance  of  justice  "  before 
Osiris  and  his  judges. 


FOREWORD  xi 

It  is  significant  that  the  oldest  book  in  the  world  is  said  to 
be  "The  Moral  Aphorisms  of  Ptah-Hotep,"  which  had  a  deep 
and  widespread  influence  among  the  early  Egyptians. 

The  legendary  date  of  the  beautiful  Zend-Avesta,  both  Bible 
and  Prayer-book  of  the  Persians,  is  five  thousand  years  before 
the  Trojan  War,  but  even  if  it  was  wiitten  no  later  than  the 
ninth  century  B.  C,  and  few  critics  have  suggested  any  later 
date,  it  would  still  be  contemporary  with  the  great  Yahwist 
Bible. 

By  far  the  most  magnificent  literary  monuments  of  antiquity 
are  the  Vedas  and  Upanishads  written  by  the  ancient  Rishis  of 
India,  sometime  between  2400  and  1200  B.  C,  according  to  Dr. 
Haug.  These  books  are  a  vast  treasury  of  the  deepest  philos- 
ophy and  some  of  the  loftiest  religious  teachings  ever  given  to 
the  world. 

The  Upanishads  say  '*  Know  thine  own  soul."  To  an  Indian, 
religion  is  the  very  breath  of  his  life,  and  the  one  object  of 
supreme  importance  in  the  world  is  the  soul.  The  man  who  does 
not  recognize  his  own  soul  is  not  regarded  in  India,  even  as  a  man. 
The  Upanishads  say  *'  Know  thou  the  One,  the  Soul.  It  is  the 
bridge  leading  to  the  immortal  being." 

The  teachings  of  the  Vedas  are  that  the  one  end  and  aim  of 
life  is  the  development  of  the  soul  or  the  union  of  the  individual 
soul  with  the  Universal  Soul  of  Brahm  or  God. 

The  Indian  poet  chants,  ''  From  love  the  world  is  born,  by 
love  it  is  sustained,  towards  love  it  moves,  and  into  love  it 
enters." 

In  the  Indian  civiUzation  the  ideal  ''  flower  of  humanity  "  is 
not  the  statesman,  king,  artist  or  poet,  but  the  Rishi,  the  one 
who  has  attained  the  supreme  soul. 

Upon  the  Rishi  the  nation  bestows  an  extravagant  homage 
that  is  never  given  even  to  the  most  illufctrious  kings. 

The  Vedas  declare,  God  can  be  seen  and  known,  and  the  forest- 
dwelling  Rishis  teach  "  Listen  to  me,  ye  sons  of  the  immortal 
spirit,  ye  who  live  in  the  heavenly  abode,  I  have  known  the 
Supreme  Person  whose  light  shines  forth  from  beyond  the  dark- 
ness." 


xii  THE   BOOK   OF  YAHWEH 

Prof.  Rhys-David,  than  whom  there  is  no  higher  authority, 
says  "  nowhere  else  are  found  the  records  of  a  movement  stretch- 
ing uninterruptedly  for  more  than  three  thousand  years;  no- 
where else  has  greater  earnestness  or  so  much  ability  been  devoted 
so  continuously  to  religious  questions  .  .  .  and  nowhere  else 
do  we  find  so  complete  a  picture  of  the  tendencies  and  influences 
which  have  brought  about  the  marvelous  change  from  the  crude 
hypotheses  of  the  earliest  faith  to  the  sublime  conceptions  of 
such  original  thinkers  as  those  who  put  the  finishing  touches  to 
the  beautiful  picture  of  the  Indian  Palace  of  Truth." 

China  generally  is  believed  to  be  the  most  ancient  nation  in 
the  world.  Its  history  extends  back  no  one  knows  how  far  into 
the  dim  mists  of  the  past.  All  the  other  great  nations  of  the 
ancient  times  either  have  been  destroyed  utterly  or  have  become 
the  vassals  of  a  foreign  power.  Assyria  that  was  once  the 
terror  of  the  world  fell  before  her  old  rival  and  enemy  Babylon. 
The  mighty  nations  of  India  and  Egypt  are  subject  now  to  a 
foreign  nation.  Babylon,  once  the  most  wonderful  city  on  the 
earth,  Babjdon  that  even  in  the  days  of  the  patriarch  Abram 
had  a  history  of  over  a  hundred  kings,  Babjdon  whose  luxury 
and  magnificence  never  have  been  rivalled  even  b}^  Rome  at  the 
height  of  her  pomp,  Babylon  finally  fell  before  Cjtus,  ruined  not 
by  the  Persian  army  —  far  from  it!  —  but  by  the  dishonesty  and 
corruption  in  her  own  government! 

China  alone  of  all  the  nations  of  antiquity  has  kept  her  inde- 
pendence. To  the  student  of  folklore  the  reason  is  not  far  to 
seek.  From  the  earliest  times  the  Chinese  have  had  a  most 
profound  reverence  for  the  Moral  Law.  In  one  of  her  most 
ancient  books,  "  The  Shu  King,"  that  corresponds  to  our  Old 
Testament,  her  patriarchs  laid  down  the  principles  of  right  and 
justice  upon  which  a  state  must  be  founded  if  it  is  to  survive  the 
storms  of  the  ages  and  they  pointed  out  clearly  also  how  their 
rulers  by  violation  of  these  principles  could  bring  the  state  to 
ruin.  It  is  said  that  the  whole  nation  has  become  so  deeply 
permeated  with  these  teachings  that  no  one  is  allowed  even  to 
perform  his  religious  sacrifices  until  he  has  paid  every  debt. 
The  ideal  of  the  Chinese  civihzation  is  that  "  right  and  justice 


FOREWORD  xiii 

is  recognized  by  everyone  as  a  force  higher  than  physical  force" 
and  that  moral  obligation  is  of  supreme  importance. 

It  is  interesting  to  remember  that  the  distinguished  Chinese 
minister  Wu  Ting  Fang  said  at  the  opening  of  our  last  war, 
"  So  long  as  there  is  wi'ong  and  injustice,  so  long  will  there  be 
wars." 

It  is  easy  to  understand  how  in  a  national  atmosphere  like 
this  it  has  been  claimed  by  an  eminent  author,  Ku  Hung- 
ming,  that  "  the  dominant  note  of  Chinese  humanity  is  gentle- 
ness." He  explains  that  he  means  by  this  ''  the  absence  of 
hardness,  harshness,  roughness  or  violence,  in  fact  of  anything 
that  jars  upon  you."  .  .  .  This  gentleness  that  is  "  the  funda- 
mental characteristic  of  the  real  Chinese  is  the  product  of  the 
sjnnpathetic  intelligence  of  a  people  who  live  almost  entirely  a 
life  of  the  heart,  —  a  life  of  emotion  and  human  affection."  In 
short,  the  ideal  Chinese  is  one  with  the  intellect  of  a  man  and 
the  heart  of  a  child  and  "  the  Chinese  spirit,  therefore,  is  the 
spirit  of  perpetual  youth,  the  spirit  of  national  immortahty." 

The  "  deluge  myth  "  evidently  was  taken  by  the  great  Yahwist 
writer  from  the  celebrated  Gilgamesh  epic  that  described  the 
adventures  of  the  old  Sumerian  king  of  Erech  in  his  search  after 
immortality,  and  was  written  in  the  highly  cultured  city  of 
Babylon  durmg  a  revival  of  Uterature  under  the  great  king 
Hammurabi.  The  discovery  of  the  famous  statue  of  this  king, 
the  original  of  which  is  now  in  the  Louvre,  receiving  from  the  Sun 
God  Shamash  his  code  of  laws,  the  most  ancient  in  the  world, 
and  which  are  inscribed  in  the  block  of  marble  underneath, 
has  proved  to  our  surprise  that,  even  in  the  days  of  Abram  and 
Sarai,  life  was  as  carefully  ordered  in  all  its  essentials  as  in  the 
vaunted  civilization  of  our  owti  day. 

It  is  difficult  to  imagine  words  expressing  a  deeper  sympathy 
and  tenderness  for  his  people  than  those  of  the  preamble  to  the 
laws  of  this  wonderful  monarch  of  over  four  thousand  years 
ago.  ... 

"  I  am  the  pastor,  the  saviour,  whose  sceptre  is  a  right  one, 
the  good  protecting  shadow^  over  my  city ;  in  my  breast  I  cherish 
the  inhabitants  of  Sumer  and  Akkad.  By  my  genius  in  peace  I 
have  led  them,  by  my  wisdom  I  have  directed  them,  that  the 


xiv  THE   BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

strong  might  not  injure  the  weak,  to  protect  the  widow  and 
orphan.  .  .  .  By  the  command  of  Shamash  (the  Sun  god),  the 
great  Judge  of  Heaven  and  Earth,  let  righteousness  go  forth  in 
the  land.  .  .  Let  the  oppressed  who  has  a  case  at  law  come  and 
stand  before  my  image  as  King  of  Righteousness,  let  him  read 
the  inscription,  and  understand  my  precious  words.  The 
inscribed  stone  will  explain  his  case  to  him,  and  make  clear  the 
law  to  him,  and  his  heart,  well  pleased,  will  say,  "  '  Hammurabi 
is  a  master,  who  is  as  the  father  who  begat  his  people! '  " 

The  Yahwist  writer  was  the  fine  flower,  not  of  this  Babylonic 
race,  but  of  their  kinsmen,  the  great  nomadic  tribe  of  the  star- 
loving  Chaldean  Abram,  •  whose  home  for  centuries  was  the 
wilderness  and  whose  lives  were  spent  in  wandering  with  their 
flocks  and  herds  over  the  vast  country  that  stretched  between  the 
two  superb  civilizations  of  Egypt  and  Babylon. 

About  twelve  hundred  years  after  the  days  of  the  patriarch 
Abram  this  Israelite  tribe  had  expanded  into  a  nation  —  and  had 
entered  the  "  Promised  Land  "  and  built  a  temple  to  Yahweh 
and  a  palace  that  was  the  admiration  of  the  world. 

"  Moreover  the  king  made  a  great  throne  of  ivory,  and  over- 
laid it  with  the  finest  gold.  There  were  six  steps  to  the  throne, 
and  the  top  of  the  throne  was  round  behind;  and  there  were 
stays  on  either  side  by  the  place  of  the  seat,  and  two  lions  stand- 
ing beside  the  stays.  And  twelve  Hons  stood  there  on  the  one 
side  and  on  the  other  upon  the  six  steps;  there  was  not  the  like 
made  in  any  kingdom." 

THE  YAHWIST  BIBLE 

The  great  Yahwist  Bible  was  written  when  the  Israelites  were 
at  the  height  of  their  success  and  prosperity  as  a  nation,  just 
after  the  notable  reign  of  king  Solomon.  Three  hundred  years 
later  came  their  downfall  nationallj\  Their  traitorous  king 
Zedekiah  broke  his  treaty  with  Nebuchadnezzar  in  favor  of  Egypt 
and  the  powerful  king  of  Babylon  naturally  marched  against 
Jerusalem,  captured  the  city,  destroyed  the  temple  and  palace 
and  deported  ten  thousand  of  the  leading  families  to  dwell  in 
Babylon  by  the  banks  of  the  Euphrates  river. 

If  the  Sacred  Ark  of  the  Covenant  was  rescued  from  the 


FOREWORD  XV 

flames  by  the  Jewish  priest,  its  location  has  never  been  revealed 
to  the  world. 

But  at  the  time  of  the  writing  of  the  Yah  wist  Bible,  the  world 
was  at  the  feet  of  the  Jewish  king,  who  had  married  an  Egyp- 
tian princess,  and  formed  an  alliance  with  the  king  of  Tyre. 
The  queen  o'  Sheba  had  come  even  from  Africa  ''the  utter- 
most parts  of  the  earth,"  to  do  him  homage  "  and  hear  the 
wisdom  of  Solomon,"  with  her  own  ears. 

The  unknown  prophet  who  wrote  this  primitive  document, 
perhaps  the  most  beautiful  and  certainly  the  most  ancient 
part  of  our  Scriptures,  lived  in  the  ninth  century,  B.  C. 

At  this  time,  before  the  religion  had  assumed  its  elaborate 
ritual,  men  were  on  terms  of  closer  intimacy  with  the  Deity,  and 
our  author  does  not  hesitate  to  use  his  personal  name  of  Yahweh, 
the  tribal  God  of  the  Hebrews,  as  freely  as  Christians  use  the 
name  Jesus.  His  quaint  and  picturesque  document  was  written 
centuries  before  the  Pentateuch.  Afterward  about  400  B.  C. 
came  the  priestly  interpolations,  the  Elohist  scripture,  the  "Book 
of  the  Priests  "  and  Deuteronomy,  the  whole  forming  the  first 
Jewish  Bible  known  as  the  Torah  or  Pentateuch. 

The  "  Book  of  the  Priests  "  chiefly  laws,  ritual,  genealogies 
and  editorial  conmients  written  after  the  captivity  was  evi- 
dently deeply  influenced  by  the  culture  and  the  gorgeous  ritual 
of  the  Babylonian  religion. 

These  interpolations  added  about  five  hundred  years  later, 
not  only  broke  the  continuity  of  thought,  but  almost  utterly 
destroyed  the  artistic  unity  of  this  perfect  little  gem  of  ancient 
literature,  the  Yah  wist  Bible.  They  were  also  the  source  of 
many  bewildering  contradictions,  especially  in  the  first  and 
second  chapters  of  Genesis. 

The  explanation  of  these  violent  contrasts  is  very  simple. 
The  first  chapter  of  Genesis  was  written,  not  by  the  Yah  wist 
prophets,  but  by  the  Jewish  priests,  and  was  placed  by  them 
before  the  first  chapter  of  the  Yahwdst  Bible,  as  the  prevailing 
belief  of  the  people  —  when  the  Pentateuch  or  Torah  was  com- 
piled, in  the  days  after  the  Babylonian  captivity. 

It  is  especially  interesting  as  marking  the  wonderful  growth 
of  their  religious  ideals  in  the  years  that  had  elapsed  since  the 
days  of  Solomon.    According  to  Dr.  Bennett  the  Jewish  priests 


x\n  THE   BOOK   OF   YAHWEH 

particularly  wished  to  counteract  the  ancient  belief  of  the  com- 
mon people  in  the  creation  of  Eve  from  a  rib  of  Adam. 

In  the  first  chapter  the  Deity  is  represented  as  an  invisible 
spirit  creating  the  animals  in  orderly  procedure  —  and  man 
last  of  all.  "  Male  and  female  created  he  them,"  apparently 
equal.  In  the  second  chapter  he  is  pictured  as  a  man  kind 
hearted  but  irate  and  li™g  in  a  beautiful  park  or  garden, 
creating  Adam  himself  first  of  all,  and  the  animals  afterward  to 
give  him  pleasure.  Eve  was  not  even  a  separate  creation  in 
this  first  myth,  but  was  moulded  from  a  rib  taken  from  the  side 
of  Adam. 

In  the  sixth  and  seventh  chapters  there  is  also  an  mteresting 
contradiction.  In  the  sixth  chapter  the  animals  are  pictured  as 
going  into  the  Ark,  "  two  by  two."  In  the  seventh  chapter 
they  go  in  "  seven  by  seven  "  according  to  the  Yahwist  account. 
A  few  verses  farther  on  they  again  are  pictured  as  entering 
"  two  by  two."  The  explanation  is  that  the  Jemsh  priests 
decided  they  must  have  gone  in  "  two  by  two  "  and  that  Noah 
could  not  have  known  the  distinction  between  clean  and  unclean 
and  so  they  placed  their  version  before  the  Yahwist  one.  As 
there  was  no  division  into  chapters  until  the  middle  ages  this 
served  to  counteract  the  belief  that  they  entered  "  by  sevens." 
The  second  mention  of  their  entering  "  two  by  two,"  Dr.  Ben- 
nett says  was  inserted  by  a  mere  scribe,  to  strengthen  the 
position  of  the  priests. 

Constant  delight  has  attended  upon  the  task  of  detaching 
from  their  academic  later  overlay,  this  series  of  narratives, 
revealing  in  all  their  primitive  beauty  the  personal  charm  and 
distinction  of  style  of  their  great  author. 

Freed  from  this  later  overlay  of  interpolations  we  have  a 
connected  narrative  of  great  interest,  a  partial  restoration  of 
the  famous  document,  the  great  Yahwist  Bible. 

The  unknown  Yahwist  genius  found  many  of  his  stories  in 
the  works  of  an  earlier  day,  especially  the  "  Book  of  Jasher  " 
and  the  "  Book  of  the  Wars  of  Yahweh."  But  his  wonderful 
tales  were  chiefly  the  stories  the  ancient  Israelites  told  under 
the  starry  skies  around  their  camp-fires  for  hundreds  of  years. 

Sir  James  G.  Frazcr  says:  it  is  the  pastoral  age  depicted  "  with 
a   clearness  of  outline  and  a  vividness  of  colouring  which  time 


FOREWORD  xvii 

has  not  dimmed  and  which  under  all  the  changes  of  modern  life 
still  holds  the  reader  spell  bound  by  their  ineffable  charm."  .  .  . 

The  picture  of  Rachel  at  the  well ''  with  the  sheep  lying  round 
it  in  the  noontide  heat  is  as  vivid  in  the  writer's  words  as  it  is 
in  the  colors  of  Raphael." 

"  And  to  this  exquisite  picturesqueness  in  the  delineation  of 
human  life  he  adds  a  charming  naivete,  an  antique  simpUcity 
in  his  descriptions  of  the  divine.  He  carries  us  back  to  the  days 
of  old,  when  no  such  awful  gulf  was  supposed  to  intervene 
between  man  and  the  deity.  In  his  pages  we  read  how  God 
moulded  the  first  man  out  of  clay,  as  a  child  shapes  his  mud 
baby;  how  he  walked  in  the  garden  in  the  cool  of  the  evenmg 
and  called  the  shamefaced  couple,  who  had  been  skulking 
behind  trees;  how  he  made  coats  of  skin  to  replace  the  too 
scanty  fig-leaves  of  our  first  parents;  how  he  shut  the  door 
behind  Noah,  when  the  patriarch  had  entered  into  the  ark; 
how  he  sniffed  the  sweet  savour  of  the  burning  sacrifice;  how 
he  came  down  to  look  at  the  tower  of  Babel,  apparently  because 
viewed  from  the  sky  it  was  beyond  his  reach  of  vision;  how  he 
conversed  with  Abraham  at  the  door  of  his  tent,  in  the  heat  of 
the  day,  under  the  shadow  of  the  whispering  oaks.  In  short, 
the  whole  work  of  this  deUghtful  writer  is  instinct  with  a  breath  of 
poetry,  with  sometliing  of  the  freshness  and  fragrance  of  the 
olden  time,  which  invests  it  with  an  ineffable  and  immortal 
charm." 

NOTE 

The  compiler  wishes  to  acknowledge  the  deepest  obligation 
to  the  great  editors  of  the  Century  Bible,  and  to  the  dis- 
tinguished author  of  ''  The  Folklore  of  the  Old  Testament," 
{Sir  James  G.  Frazer,  for  permission  to  quote  from  these  books. 

The  text  used  in  this  word  is  based  upon  the  revised  English 
version  of  the  Bible,  although  necessarily  very  much  changed. 

C.  M. 


CONTENTS 

The  Story  of  CREATION 3 

"      ''         CAIN 5 

"      "         NOAH 7 

"      "         ABRAM 11 

"      "         ISAAC 25 

"      "         JACOB 30 

"      "         JOSEPH 42 

The  Story  of  MOSES 65 

"      "         THE  SEVEN  PLAGUES 69 

"      ''         THE  TEN  COMMANDMENTS 77 

"      "         THE  QUAILS 83 

"      "         BALAAM 91 

"      "         JOSHUA 105 

"      ''         THE  JUDGES 125 

The  Story  of  SAMUEL 161 

"      "         KING  SAUL 165 

"      "         KING  DAVID 175 

''      "         ABIGAIL 185 

"      "         THE  WITCH  OF  ENDOR 192 

"      "         ABSALOM 217 

"      "         KING  SOLOMON  AND  THE  TEMPLE..  239 


GENESIS 


The  Book  of  Yahweh 

GENESIS 
The  Story  of  Creation 

In  the  day  that  Yahweh  made  earth  and  heaven;  — 

And  no  plant  of  the  field  was  yet  in  the  earth,  and  no  herb  of 
the  field  had  yet  sprung  up;  for  Yahweh  had  not  caused  it  to 
rain  upon  the  earth,  and  there  was  not  a  man  to  till  the  ground; 
but  there  went  up  a  mist  from  the  earth,  and  watered  the  whole 
face  of  the  ground.  And  Yahweh  formed  man  of  the  dust  of 
the  ground,  and  breathed  into  his  nostrils  the  breath  of  life; 
and  man  became  a  living  soul. 

And  Yahweh  planted  a  garden  eastward,  in  Eden;  and  there 
he  put  the  man  whom  he  had  formed.  And  out  of  the  ground 
made  Yahweh  to  grow  every  tree  that  is  pleasant  to  the  sight, 
and  good  for  food;  the  tree  of  life  also  in  the  midst  of  the  garden, 
and  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil. 

And  Yahweh  took  the  man  and  put  him  into  the  garden  of 
Eden  to  dress  it  and  to  keep  it.  And  Yahweh  commanded  the 
man,  saying,  "  Of  every  tree  of  the  garden  thou  mayest  freely 
eat;  but  of  the  tree  of  the  knowledge  of  good  and  evil,  thou  shalt 
not  eat  of  it;  for  in  the  day  that  thou  eatest  thereof  thou  shalt 
surely  die." 

And  Yahweh  said,  ''It  is  not  good  that  the  man  should  be 
alone;  I  will  make  him  an  help  meet  for  him."  And  out  of  the 
ground  Yahweh  formed  every  beast  of  the  field,  and  every  fowl 
of  the  air;  and  brought  them  unto  the  man  to  see  what  he  would 
call  them;  and  whatsoever  the  man  called  every  living  creature, 
that  was  the  name  thereof.  And  the  man  gave  names  to  all 
cattle,  and  to  the  fowl  of  the  air,  and  to  every  beast  of  the  field; 
but  for  man  there  was  not  found  an  help  meet  for  him. 


4  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  Yahweh  caused  a  deep  sleep  to  fall  upon  the  man,  and  he 
slept;  and  he  took  one  of  his  ribs,  and  closed  up  the  flesh  in- 
stead thereof:  and  the  rib,  which  Yahweh  had  taken  from  the 
man,  made  he  a  woman,  and  brought  her  unto  the  man.  And 
the  man  said,  "  This  is  now  bone  of  my  bones,  and  flesh  of  my 
flesh;  she  shall  be  called  Woman,  because  she  was  taken  out  of 
man.  Therefore  shall  a  man  leave  his  father  and  his  mother, 
and  shall  cleave  unto  his  wife:  and  they  shall  be  one  flesh." 
And  they  were  both  naked,  the  man  and  his  wife,  and  were  not 
ashamed. 


Now  the  serpent  was  more  subtil  than  any  beast  of  the  field 
which  Yahweh  had  made.  And  he  said  unto  the  woman,  ''  Yea, 
hath  God  said,  '  Ye  shall  not  eat  of  anj^  tree  of  the  garden?  '  " 
And  the  woman  said  unto  the  serpent,  "  Of  the  fruit  of  the  trees 
of  the  garden  we  may  eat;  but  of  the  fruit  of  the  tree  which  is 
in  the  midst  of  the  garden,  God  hath  said,  '  Ye  shall  not  eat  of 
it,  neither  shall  ye  touch  it,  lest  ye  die.'  "  And  the  serpent 
said  unto  the  woman,  "  Ye  shall  not  surely  die:  for  God  doth 
know  that  in  the  day  ye  eat  thereof,  then  your  eyes  shall  be 
opened,  and  ye  shall  be  as  God,  knowing  good  and  evil." 

And  when  the  woman  saw  that  the  tree  was  good  for  food, 
and  that  it  was  a  delight  to  the  eyes,  and  that  the  tree  was  to  be 
desired  to  make  one  \vise,  she  took  of  the  fruit  thereof,  and  did 
eat;  and  she  gave  also  unto  her  husband  with  her,  and  he  did 
eat.  And  the  eyes  of  them  both  were  opened,  and  they  knew 
that  they  were  naked;  and  they  sewed  fig  leaves  together,  and 
made  themselves  girdles. 

And  they  heard  the  footsteps  of  Yahweh  walking  in  the  garden 
in  the  cool  of  the  day;  and  the  man  and  his  wife  hid  themselves 
from  the  presence  of  Yahweh  amongst  the  trees  of  the  garden. 

And  Yahweh  called  unto  the  man,  and  said  unto  him,  "  Where 
art  thou?  "  And  he  said,  ''  I  heard  thy  step  in  the  garden,  and 
I  was  afraid,  because  I  was  naked;  and  I  hid  myself."  And  he 
said,  "  Who  told  thee  that  thou  wast  naked?  Hast  thou  eaten 
of  the  tree,  whereof  I  commanded  thee  that  thou  shouldest  not 
eat?  "  And  the  man  said,  "  The  woman  whom  thou  gavest  to 
be  with  me,  she  gave  me  of  the  tree,  and  I  did  eat." 


GENESIS  5 

And  Yahweh  said  unto  the  woman,  "  What  is  this  thou  hast 
done?  "  And  the  woman  said,  "  The  serpent  beguiled  me,  and 
I  did  eat." 

And  Yahweh  said  unto  the  serpent,  "  Because  thou  hast  done 
this,  cursed  art  thou  above  all  cattle,  and  above  every  beast  of 
the  field;  upon  thy  belly  shalt  thou  go,  and  dust  shalt  thou  eat 
all  the  days  of  thy  life :  and  I  will  put  enmity  between  thee  and 
the  woman,  and  between  thy  seed  and  her  seed:  it  shall  bruise 
thy  head,  and  thou  shalt  bruise  his  heel." 

Unto  the  woman  he  said,  "  I  will  greatly  multiply  thy  sorrow 
and  thy  conception;  in  sorrow  thou  shalt  bring  forth  children; 
and  thy  desire  shall  be  to  thy  husband,  and  he  shall  rule  over 
thee." 

And  unto  Adam  he  said,  "  Because  thou  hast  hearkened  unto 
the  voice  of  thy  wife,  and  hast  eaten  of  the  tree,  of  which  I 
commanded  thee,  saying  '  Thou  shalt  not  eat  of  it : '  cursed  is 
the  ground  for  thy  sake;  in  toil  shalt  thou  eat  of  it  all  the  days 
of  thy  life;  thorns  also  and  thistles  shall  it  bring  forth  to  thee; 
and  thou  shalt  eat  the  herb  of  the  field ;  in  the  sweat  of  thy  face 
shalt  thou  eat  bread,  till  thou  return  unto  the  ground;  for  out  of 
it  wast  thou  taken:  for  dust  thou  art,  and  unto  dust  shalt  thou 
return." 

And  the  man  called  his  wife's  name  Eve ;  because  she  was  the 
mother  of  all  living.  And  Yahweh  made  for  Adam  and  for  his 
wife  coats  of  skins,  and  clothed  them. 

And  Yahweh  said,  "  Behold,  the  man  is  become  as  one  of  us, 
to  know  good  and  evil;"  and  now,  lest  he  put  forth  his  hand, 
and  take  also  of  the  tree  of  life,  and  eat,  and  live  forever :  there- 
fore Yahweh  sent  him  forth  from  the  garden  of  Eden,  to  till  the 
ground  from  whence  he  was  taken.  So  he  drove  out  the  man; 
and  he  placed  at  the  east  of  the  Garden  of  Eden  the  Cherubun, 
and  the  flame  of  a  sword  which  turned  every  way,  to  keep  the 
way  of  the  tree  of  life. 

The  Story  of  Cain  and  His  Descendants 

And  the  man  knew  Eve  his  wife;  and  she  conceived,  and  bare 
Cain,  and  said,  "  I  have  gotten  a  man  with  the  help  of  Yahweh." 
And  again  she  bare  his  brother  Abel.  And  Abel  was  a  keeper  of 
sheep,  but  Cain  was  a  tiller  of  the  ground.    And  in  process  of 


6  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

time  it  came  to  pass,  that  Cain  brought  of  the  fruit  of  the  ground 
an  offering  unto  Yahweh.  And  Abel,  he  also  brought  of  the 
firstlings  of  his  flock  and  of  the  fat  thereof. 

And  Yahweh  had  respect  unto  Abel  and  to  his  offering:  but 
unto  Cain  and  to  his  offering  he  had  not  respect.  And  Cain 
was  very  wroth,  and  his  countenance  fell.  And  Yahweh  said 
unto  Cain,  "  Why  art  thou  wroth?  and  why  is  thy  countenance 
fallen?  If  thou  doest  well,  shalt  thou  not  be  accepted?  And  if 
thou  doest  not  well,  sin  coucheth  at  the  door:  and  unto  thee 
shall  be  his  desire,  and  thou  shalt  rule  over  him." 

And  Cain  told  Abel  his  brother.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when 
they  were  in  the  field,  that  Cain  rose  up  against  Abel  his  brother, 
and  slew  him.  And  Yahweh  said  unto  Cain,  "  WTiere  is  Abel 
thy  brother?  "  And  he  said,  "  I  know  not;  am  I  my  brother's 
keeper?  "  And  he  said,  "  Wh.a.i  hast  thou  done?  the  voice  of 
thy  brother's  blood  crieth  unto  me  from  the  ground.  And  now 
cursed  art  thou  from  the  ground,  which  hath  opened  her  mouth 
to  receive  thy  brother's  blood  from  thy  hand;  when  thou  tillest 
the  ground,  it  shall  not  henceforth  >aeld  unto  thee  her  strength ; 
a  fugitive  and  a  wanderer  shalt  thou  be  in  the  earth."  And 
Cain  said  unto  Yahweh,  "  IMy  punishment  is  gi'eater  than  I 
can  bear.  Behold,  thou  hast  driven  me  out  this  day  from  the 
face  of  the  ground;  and  from  thy  face  shall  I  be  hid;  and  I  shall 
be  a  fugitive  and  a  wanderer  in  the  earth;  and  it  shall  come  to 
pass,  that  whosoever  findeth  me  shall  slay  me."  And  Yahweh 
said  unto  him,  "  Therefore  whosoever  slayeth  Cain,  vengeance 
shall  be  taken  on  him  sevenfold."  And  Yahweh  appointed  a 
sign  for  Cain,  lest  any  finding  him  should  smite  him. 

And  Cain  went  out  from  the  presence  of  Yahweh,  and  dwelt 
in  the  land  of  Nod,  on  the  east  of  Eden.  And  Cain  knew  his 
wife;  and  she  conceived,  and  bare  Enoch:  and  he  builded  a 
city,  and  called  the  name  of  the  city,  after  the  name  of  his  son, 
Enoch.  And  unto  Enoch  was  born  Irad:  and  Irad  begat 
Mehujael;  and  ]Mehujael  begat  ^Nlethushael:  and  Methushael 
begat  Lamech.  And  Lamech  took  unto  him  two  wives:  the 
name  of  the  one  was  Adah,  and  the  name  of  the  other  Zillah. 
And  Adah  bare  Jabel :  he  was  the  father  of  such  as  dwell  in  tents 
and  have  cattle.  And  his  brother's  name  was  Jubal:  he  was 
the  father  of  all  such  as  handle  the  harp  and  pipe.     And  Zillah, 


GENESIS  7 

she  also  bare  Tubal-cain,  the  forger  of  every  cutting  instrument 
of  brass  and  iron:  and  the  sister  of  Tubal-cain  was  Naamah. 
And  Lamech  said  unto  his  wives : 

''  Adah  and  Zillah,  hear  my  voice; 
Ye  wives  of  Lamech,  hearken  unto  my  speech: 

For  I  have  slain  a  man  for  wounding  me, 
And  a  young  man  for  bruising  me : 

If  Cain  shall  be  avenged  sevenfold, 
Truly  Lamech  seventy  and  sevenfold." 

And  Adam  knew  his  wife  again;  and  she  bare  a  son,  and  called 
his  name  Seth:  For,  said  she,  "  God  hath  appointed  me  another 
seed  instead  of  Abel;  for  Cain  slew  him." 

And  to  Seth,  to  him  also  there  was  born  a  son;  and  he  called 
his  name  Enosh. 

Then  began  men  to  call  upon  the  name  of  Yahweh. 


The  Story  of  Noah 

And  Lamech  called  his  son's  name  Noah,  saying,  "  This  same 
shall  comfort  us  for  our  work  and  for  the  toil  of  our  hands,  be- 
cause of  the  ground  which  Yahweh  hath  cursed." 


And  it  came  to  pass,  when  men  began  to  multiply  on  the  face 
of  the  ground,  and  daughters  were  born  unto  them,  that  the  sons 
of  God  saw  the  daughters  of  men  that  they  were  fair;  and  they 
took  them  wives  of  all  that  they  chose.  And  Yahweh  said, 
''  My  spirit  shall  not  strive  with  man  forever,  for  that  he  also 
is  flesh:  yet  shall  his  days  be  an  hundred  and  twenty  years." 

The  Nephilim  were  in  the  earth  in  those  days,  and  also  after 
that,  when  the  sons  of  God  came  in  unto  the  daughters  of  men, 
and  they  bare  children  to  them :  the  same  were  the  mighty  men 
which  were  of  old,  the  men  of  reno\vn. 

And  Y^ahweh  saw  that  the  wickedness  of  man  was  gi'eat  in 
the  earth,  and  that  every  imagination  of  the  thoughts  of  his 
heart  was  only  evil  continually.  And  it  repented  Yahweh  that 
he  had  made  man  on  the  earth,  and  it  grieved  him  at  his  heart. 
And  Yahweh  said,  "  I  will  destroy  man  whom  I  have  created 
from  the  face  of  the  ground;  both  men,  and  beast,  and  creeping 


8  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

thing,  and  fowl  of  the  air;  for  it  repenteth  me  that  I  have  made 
them." 

But  Noah  found  grace  in  the  ej^es  of  Yahweh.  And  Yahweh 
said  unto  Noah,  ''  Come  thou  and  all  thy  house  into  the  ark; 
for  thee  have  I  seen  righteous  before  me  in  this  generation. 
Of  every  clean  beast  thou  shalt  take  to  thee  seven  and  seven,  the 
male  and  his  female;  and  of  the  beasts  that  are  not  clean  two,  the 
male  and  his  female;  of  the  fowl  also  of  the  air,  seven  and  seven, 
male  and  female;  to  keep  seed  alive  upon  the  face  of  all  the 
■  earth.  For  yet  seven  daj^s,  and  I  -will  cause  it  to  rain  upon  the 
earth  forty  days  and  forty  nights;  and  every  living  thing  that  I 
have  made  T\dll  I  destroy  from  off  the  face  of  the  ground."  And 
Noah  did  according  unto  all  that  Yahweh  commanded  him. 

And  it  came  to  pass  after  the  seven  days,  that  the  waters 
of  the  flood  were  upon  the  earth.  And  the  rain  was  upon  the 
earth  forty  days  and  forty  nights.  And  Yahweh  shut  him  in. 
And  the  flood  was  forty  daj^s  upon  the  earth;  and  the  waters 
increased,  and  bare  up  the  ark,  and  it  was  lift  up  above  the 
earth.  All  in  whose  nostrils  was  the  breath  of  the  spirit  of  life, 
of  all  that  was  in  the  dry  land,  died.  And  every  living  thing 
was  destroyed  which  was  upon  the  face  of  the  ground,  both 
man,  and  cattle,  and  creeping  thing,  and  fowl  of  the  heaven; 
and  they  were  destroyed  from  the  earth:  and  Noah  only  was 
left,  and  they  that  were  with  him  in  the  ark. 

And  the  rain  from  heaven  was  restrained;  and  the  waters 
returned  from  off  the  earth  continually. 

And  it  came  to  pass  at  the  end  of  forty  days,  that  Noah  opened 
the  window  of  the  ark  w^hich  he  had  made:  and  he  sent  forth  a 
raven,  and  it  went  forth  to  and  fro,  until  the  waters  were  dried 
up  from  off  the  earth.  And  he  sent  forth  a  dove  from  him,  to  see 
if  the  waters  were  abated  from  off  the  face  of  the  ground;  but 
the  dove  found  no  rest  for  the  sole  of  her  foot,  and  she  returned 
unto  him  to  the  ark,  for  the  waters  were  on  the  face  of  the  whole 
earth:  and  he  put  forth  his  hand,  and  took  her,  and  brought 
her  in  unto  him  into  the  ark.  And  he  stayed  yet  other  seven 
days;  and  again  he  sent  forth  the  dove  out  of  the  ark;  and  the 
dove  came  in  to  him  at  eventide;  and,  lo,  in  her  mouth  an  olive 


GENESIS  9 

leaf  pliickt  off :  so  Noah  knew  that  the  waters  were  abated  from 
off  the  earth.  And  he  stayed  yet  other  seven  days;  and  sent 
forth  the  dove;  and  she  returned  not  again  unto  him  any  more. 

And  Noah  removed  the  covering  of  the  ark,  and  looked,  and 
behold,  the  face  of  the  ground  was  dried. 

And  Noah  builded  an  altar  unto  Yahweh;  and  took  of  every 
clean  beast,  and  of  every  clean  fowl,  and  offered  burnt  offerings 
on  the  altar.  And  Yahweh  smelled  the  sweet  savour;  and 
Yahweh  said  in  his  heart,  "  I  will  not  again  curse  the  ground  any 
more  for  man's  sake,  for  that  the  imagination  of  man's  heart  is 
evil  from  his  youth ;  neither  will  I  again  smite  any  more  every- 
thing living,  as  I  have  done.  While  the  earth  remaineth,  seed- 
time and  harvest,  and  cold  and  heat,  and  summer  and  winter, 
and  day  and  night  shall  not  cease." 


And  the  sons  of  Noah,  that  went  forth  of  the  ark,  were  Shem, 
and  Ham  and  Japheth:  and  Ham  is  the  father  of  Canaan. 
These  three  were  the  sons  of  Noah:  and  of  these  was  the  whole 
earth  overspread. 

And  Noah  began  to  be  an  husbandman,  and  planted  a  vine- 
yard: and  he  drank  of  the  wine,  and  was  drunken;  and  he  was 
uncovered  within  his  tent.  And  Ham,  the  father  of  Canaan,  saw 
the  nakedness  of  his  father,  n.nd  told  his  two  brethren  without. 
And  Shem  and  Japheth  took  a  garment,  and  laid  it  upon  both 
their  shoulders,  and  went  backward,  and  covered  the  nakedness 
of  their  father;  and  their  faces  were  backward,  and  they  saw 
not  their  father's  nakedness.  And  Noah  awoke  from  his  wine, 
and  knew  what  his  youngest  son  had  done  unto  him. 

And  he  said:  "Cursed  be  Canaan.  A  sei*vant  of  servants 
shall  he  be  unto  liis  brethren."    And  he  said, 

"Blessed  be  Yahweh,  the  God  of  Shem; 
And  let  Canaan  be  his  servant. 
God  enlarge  Japheth, 
And  let  him  dwell  in  the  tents  of  Shem; 
And  let  Canaan  be  his  servant." 

And  Cush  begat  Nimrod :  he  began  to  be  a  mighty  one  in  the 
earth.    He  was  a  mighty  hunter  before  Yahweh;  wherefore  it  is 


10  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

said,  "  Like  Nimrod,  a  mighty  hunter  before  Yahweh."  And 
the  beginning  of  his  kingdom  was  Babel,  and  Erech,  and  Accad, 
and  Calneh,  in  the  hmd  of  Shinar.  Out  of  that  land  he  went 
forth  into  Assyria,  and  builded  Nineveh,  and  Rehoboth-Ir,  and 
Calah,  and  Resen  between  Nineveh  and  Calah  (the  same  is  the 
great  city.) 

And  Mizraim  begat  Ludim,  and  Anamim,  and  Lehabim,  and 
Naphtuhim,  and  Pathrusim,  and  Casluhim  (whence  went  forth 
the  Philistines),  and  Caphtorim. 

And  Canaan  begat  Zidon  his  firstborn,  and  Heth;  and  the 
Jebusite,  and  the  Amorite,  and  the  Girgashite;  and  the  Hivite, 
and  the  Arkite,  and  the  Sinite;  and  the  Arvadite,  and  the 
Zemarite,  and  the  Hamathite;  and  afterward  were  the  families  of 
the  Canaanite  spread  abroad.  And  the  border  of  the  Canaanite 
was  from  Zidon,  as  thou  goest  toward  Gerar,  unto  Gaza;  as 
thou  goest  toward  Sodom  and  Gomorrah  and  Admah  and  Ze- 
boiim,  unto  Lasha. 

And  unto  Shem,  the  father  of  all  the  children  of  Eber,  the 
elder  brother  of  Japheth,  to  him  also  were  children  born. 

And  Arpachshad  begat  Shelah;  and  Shelah  begat  Eber. 
And  unto  Eber  were  born  two  sons:  the  name  of  the  one  was 
Peleg;  for  in  his  days  was  the  earth  divided;  and  his  brother's 
name  was  Joktan. 

And  Joktan  begat  Almodad,  and  Sheleph,  and  Hazarmaveth, 
and  Jerah;  and  Hadoram,  and  Uzal,  and  Diklah;  and  Obal, 
and  Abimael,  and  Sheba;  and  Ophir,  and  Havilah,  and  Jobab; 
all  these  were  the  sons  of  Joktan.  And  their  dwelling  was  from 
Mesha,  as  thou  goest  toward  Sephar,  the  mountain  of  the  east. 


And  the  whole  earth  was  of  one  language  and  of  one  speech. 
And  it  came  to  pass,  as  they  journeyed  east,  that  they  found  a 
plain,  in  the  land  of  Shinar;  and  they  dwelt  there. 

And  they  said  one  to  another,  "  Go  to,  let  us  make  brick,  and 
burn  them  thoroughly."  And  they  had  brick  for  stone,  and 
slime  had  they  for  mortar.  And  they  said,  "  Go  to,  let  us  build 
us  a  city,  and  a  tower,  whose  top  may  reach  unto  heaven,  and 
let  us  make  us  a  name;  lest  we  be  scattered  abroad  upon  the 
face  of  the  whole  earth." 


GENESIS  11 

Aiid  Yahweh  came  down  to  see  the  city  and  the  tower,  which 
the  children  of  men  builded.  And  Yahweh  said,  "  Behold, 
they  are  one  people,  and  they  have  all  one  language;  and  this 
is  what  they  begin  to  do:  and  now  nothing  will  be  withholden 
from  them,  which  they  purpose  to  do.  Go  to,  let  us  go  down, 
and  there  confound  their  language,  that  they  may  not  understand 
one  another's  speech." 

So  Yahweh  scattered  them  abroad  from  thence  upon  the  face 
of  all  the  earth:  and  they  left  off  to  build  the  city.  Therefore 
was  the  name  of  it  called  Babel;  because  Yahweh  did  there  con- 
found the  language  of  all  the  earth :  and  from  thence  did  Yahweh 
scatter  them  abroad  upon  the  face  of  all  the  earth. 

And  Haran  died  in  the  presence  of  his  father  Terah  in  the  land 
of  his  nativity,  in  Ur  of  the  Chaldees.  And  Abram  and  Nahor 
took  them  wives:  the  name  of  Abram's  wife  was  Sarai;  and  the 
name  of  Nahor's  wife,  Milcah,  the  daughter  of  Haran,  the  father 
of  Milcah,  and  the  father  of  Iscah.  And  Sarai  was  barren; 
she  had  no  child. 

The  Story  of  Abram 

Now  Yahweh  said  unto  Abram,  "  Get  thee  out  of  thy  country, 
and  from  thy  kindred,  and  from  tljy  father's  house,  unto  the 
land  that  I  will  shew  thee:  and  I  will  make  of  thee  a  great  na- 
tion, and  I  will  bless  thee,  and  make  thy  name  great;  and  be  thou 
a  blessing:  and  I  will  bless  them  that  bless  thee,  and  him  that 
curseth  thee  will  I  curse:  and  in  thee  shall  all  the  families  of  the 
earth  be  blessed." 

So  Abram  went,  as  Yahweh  had  spoken  unto  him:  and  Lot 
went  with  him.  And  Abram  passed  through  the  land  unto  the 
place  of  Shechem,  unto  the  oak  of  Moreh.  And  the  Canaanite 
was  then  in  the  land. 

And  Yahweh  appeared  unto  Abram,  and  said,  "  Unto  thy  seed 
will  I  give  this  land  " ;  and  there  builded  he  an  altar  unto  Yah- 
weh, who  appeared  unto  him. 

And  he  removed  from  thence  unto  the  mountain  on  the  east  of 
Beth-el,  and  pitched  his  tent,  having  Beth-el  on  the  west,  and  Ai 
on  the  east:  and  there  he  builded  an  altar  unto  Yahweh,  and 
called  upon  the  name  of  Yahweh. 

And  Abram  journeyed,  going  on  still  toward  the  South. 


12  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  there  was  a  famine  in  the  land:  and  Abram  went  down 
into  Egypt  to  sojourn  there;  for  the  famine  was  sore  in  the  land. 
And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  was  come  near  to  enter  into  Egypt, 
that  he  said  unto  Sarai  his  wife,  ''  Behold  now,  I  know  that  thou 
art  a  fair  w^oman  to  look  upon :  and  it  shall  come  to  pass,  when 
the  Egyptians  shall  see  thee,  that  they  shall  say,  '  This  is  his 
wife  ';  and  they  v/ill  kill  me,  but  they  ^^dll  save  thee  alive.  Say, 
I  pray  thee,  thou  art  my  sister :  that  it  may  be  well  with  me  for 
thy  sake,  and  that  mj-  soul  may  live  because  of  thee." 

And  it  came  to  pass,  that,  when  Abram  was  come  into  Egypt, 
the  Egyptians  beheld  the  woman  that  she  was  very  fair.  And  the 
princes  of  Pharaoh  saw  her,  and  praised  her  to  Pharaoh;  and 
the  w^oman  was  taken  into  Pharaoh's  house.  And  he  entreated 
Abram  well  for  her  sake:  and  he  had  sheep,  and  oxen,  and  he- 
asses,  and  menservants,  and  maidservants,  and  she-asses,  and 
camels. 

And  Yahweh  plagued  Pharaoh  and  his  house  with  great  plagues 
because  of  Sarai  Abram's  wdfe.  And  Pharaoh  called  Abram, 
and  said,  "  "WTiat  is  this  that  thou  hast  done  unto  me?  Why 
didst  thou  not  tell  me  that  she  was  thy  wife?  Why  saidst  thou, 
'  She  is  my  sister '?  So  that  I  took  her  to  be  my  wife:  now 
therefore  behold  thy  ^\dfe,  take  her,  and  go  thy  way." 

And  Pharaoh  gave  men  charge  concerning  him:  and  they 
brought  him  on  the  wa}^,  and  his  wife,  and  all  that  he  had. 


And  Abram  went  up  out  of  Egypt,  he,  and  his  wife,  and  all 
that  he  had,  and  Lot  with  him,  into  the  South.  And  Abram 
was  very  rich  in  cattle,  in  silver,  and  in  gold.  And  he  went  on 
his  journeys  from  the  South  even  to  Beth-el,  unto  the  place  where 
his  tent  had  been  at  the  beginning,  between  Beth-el  and  Ai; 
unto  the  place  of  the  altar,  wliich  he  had  made  there  at  the  first : 
and  there  Abram  called  on  the  name  of  Yahweh. 

And  Lot  also,  which  went  with  Abram,  had  flocks,  and  herds, 
and  tents. 

And  there  was  a  strife  between  the  herdmen  of  Abram's 
cattle  and  the  herdmen  of  Lot's  cattle :  and  the  Canaanite  and 
the  Perizzite  dwelled  then  in  the  land.  And  Abram  said  unto 
Lot,  "  Let  there  be  no  strife,  I  pray  thee,  between  me  and  thee, 


GENESIS  13 

and  between  my  herdmen  and  thy  herdmen;  for  we  are  brethren. 
Is  not  the  whole  land  before  thee?  Separate  thyself,  I  pray 
thee,  from  me:  if  thou  wilt  take  the  left  hand,  then  I  will  go  to 
the  right;  or  if  thou  take  the  right  hand,  then  I  will  go  to  the 
left/' 

And  Lot  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and  beheld  all  the  Plain  of  Jordan, 
that  it  was  well  watered  everywhere,  before  Yahweh  destroyed 
Sodom  and  Gomorrah,  like  the  garden  of  Yahweh,  like  the  land 
of  Egypt,  as  thou  goest  unto  Zoar.  So  Lot  chose  him  all  the 
Plain  of  Jordan;  and  Lot  journeyed  east;  and  moved  his  tent 
as  far  as  Sodom. 

Now  the  men  of  Sodom  were  wicked  and  sinners  against 
Yahweh  exceedingly. 

And  Yahweh  said  laito  Abram,  after  that  Lot  was  separated 
from  him,  "  Lift  up  now  thine  eyes;  and  look  from  the  place 
where  thou  art,  northward  and  southward  and  eastward  and 
westward:  for  all  tlie  land  which  thou  seest,  to  thee  will  I 
give  it,  and  to  thy  seed  forever.  And  I  will  make  thy  seed 
as  the  dust  of  the  earth :  so  that  if  a  man  can  number  the  dust  of 
the  earth,  then  shall  thy  seed  also  be  numbered.  Arise,  walk 
through  the  land  in  the  length  of  it  and  in  the  breadth  of  it: 
for  unto  thee  will  I  give  it." 

And  Abram  moved  his  tent,  and  came  and  dwelt  by  the  oaks 
of  Mamre,  which  are  in  Hebron,  and  built  there  an  altar  unto 
Yahweh. 

After  these  things  the  word  of  Yahweh  came  unto  Abram  in  a 
vision,  saying,  "  Fear  not,  Abram:  I  am  thy  shield,  and  thy 
exceeding  great  reward."  And  Abram  said,  "  0  Yahweh,  what 
wilt  thou  give  me,  seeing  I  go  childless,  and  he  that  shall  be 
possessor  of  my  house  is  Dammesek  Eliezer?  "  And  Abram 
said,  "  Behold,  to  me  thou  hast  given  no  seed;  and,  lo,  one  born 
in  my  house  is  mine  heir." 

And  behold,  the  word  of  Yahweh  came  unto  him,  saying, 
"  This  man  shall  not  be  thine  heir;  but  he  that  shall  come  forth 
out  of  thine  own  bowels  shall  be  thine  heir." 

And  he  brought  him  forth  abroad,  and  said,  "  Look  now 
toward  heaven,  and  tell  the  stars,  if  thou  be  able  to  tell  them:  " 
and  he  said  unto  him,  "  So  shall  thy  seed  be." 


14  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  he  believed  in  Yahweh;  and  he  counted  it  to  him  for 
righteousness.  And  he  said  unto  him,  "  I  am  Yahweh  that 
brought  thee  out  of  Ur  of  the  Chaldees,  to  give  thee  this  land  to 
inherit  it."  And  he  said,  "  0  Yahweh,  whereby  shall  I  know 
that  I  shall  inherit  it?  "  And  he  said  unto  him,  "  Take  me 
an  heifer  of  three  years  old,  and  a  she-goat  of  three  years  old, 
and  a  ram  of  three  years  old,  and  a  turtledove,  and  a  young 
pigeon." 

And  he  took  him  all  these,  and  divided  them  in  the  midst,  and 
laid  each  half  over  against  the  other:  but  the  birds  divided  he 
not.  And  the  birds  of  prey  came  down  upon  the  carcasses,  and 
Abram  drove  them  away.  And  when  the  sun  was  going  down, 
a  deep  sleep  fell  upon  Abram;  and,  lo,  an  horror  of  great  darkness 
fell  upon  him. 

And  he  said  unto  Abram,  "  Kjiow  of  a  surety  that  thy  seed 
shall  be  a  stranger  in  a  land  that  is  not  theirs,  and  shall  serve 
them;  and  they  shall  afflict  them  four  hundred  years;  and  also 
that  nation,  whom  they  shall  serve,  will  I  judge;  and  afterward 
shall  they  come  out  with  great  substance.  But  thou  shalt  go  to 
thy  fathers  in  peace;  thou  shalt  be  buried  in  a  good  old  age. 
And  in  the  fourth  generation  they  shall  come  hither  agam;  for 
the  iniquity  of  the  Amorite  is  not  yet  full." 

And  it  came  to  pass  that,  when  the  sun  went  down,  and  it  was 
dark,  behold  a  smoking  furnace,  and  a  flaming  torch  that  passed 
between  these  pieces.  In  that  day,  Yahweh  made  a  covenant 
with  Abram,  saying,  "  Unto  thy  seed  have  I  given  this  land, 
from  the  river  of  Egypt  unto  the  great  river,  the  river  Euphrates : 
the  Kenite,  and  the  Kenizzite,  and  the  Kadmonite,  and  the 
Hittite,  and  the  Perizzite,  and  the  Rephaim  and  the  Amorite, 
and  the  Canaanite,  and  the  Girgashite,  and  the  Jebusite." 


And  Sarai  had  an  handmaid,  an  Egyptian,  whose  name  was 
Hagar.  And  Sarai  said  unto  Abram,  "  Behold  now,  Yahweh 
hath  restrained  me  from  bearing;  go  in,  I  pray  thee,  unto  my 
handmaid;  it  may  be  that  I  shall  obtain  children  by  her." 
And  Abram  hearkened  to  the  voice  of  Sarai.  And  he  went  in 
unto  Hagar,  and  she  conceived:  and  when  she  saw  that  she  had 
conceived,  her  mistress  was  despised  in  her  eyes.    And  Sarai 


GENESIS  15 

said  unto  Abram,  "  My  wrong  be  upon  thee:  I  gave  my  hand- 
maid into  thy  bosom;  and  when  she  saw  that  she  had  conceived, 
I  was  despised  in  her  eyes:  Yahweh  judge  between  me  and  thee." 
But  Abram  said  unto  Sarai,  "  Behold,  thy  maid  is  in  thy  hand; 
do  to  her  that  which  is  good  in  thine  eyes."  And  Sarai  dealt 
hardly  with  her,  and  she  fled  from  her  face. 

And  the  angel  of  Yahweh  found  her  by  a  fountain  of  water 
in  the  wilderness,  by  the  fountain  in  the  way  to  Shur.  And  he 
said,  "  Hagar,  Sarai's  handmaid,  whence  camest  thou?  and 
whither  goest  thou?  "  And  she  said,  "  I  flee  from  the  face  of 
my  mistress  Sarai."  And  the  angel  of  Yahweh  said  unto  her, 
'*  Behold,  thou  art  with  child,  and  shalt  bear  a  son;  and  thou 
shalt  call  his  name  Ishmael,  because  Yahweh  hath  heard  thy 
affliction.  And  he  shall  be  as  a  wild-ass  among  men;  his  hand 
shall  be  against  every  man,  and  eveiy  man's  hand  against  him; 
and  he  shall  dwell  in  the  presence  of  all  his  brethren."  And 
she  caUed  the  name  of  Yahweh  that  spake  unto  her,  "  Thou  art 
a  God  that  seeth:  for,"  she  said,  "  Have  I  even  here  looked 
after  him  that  seeth  me?  " 

Wherefore  the  well  was  called  Beer-lahai-roi ;  behold,  it  is 
between  Kadesh  and  Bered. 


And  Yahweh  appeared  unto  Abram  by  the  oaks  of  Mamre,  as 
he  sat  in  the  tent  door  in  the  heat  of  the  day ;  and  he  lift  up  his 
eyes  and  looked,  and  lo,  three  men  stood  over  against  him :  and 
when  he  saw  them,  he  ran  to  meet  them  from  the  tent  door,  and 
bowed  himself  to  the  earth,  and  said,  "  My  Lord,  if  now  I  have 
found  favour  in  thy  sight,  pass  not  away,  I  pray  thee,  from  thy 
servant:  let  now  a  little  water  be  fetched,  and  wash  your  feet, 
and  rest  yourselves  under  the  tree :  and  I  will  fetch  a  morsel  of 
bread,  and  comfort  ye  your  heart;  after  that  ye  shall  pass  on: 
forasmuch  as  ye  are  come  to  your  servant." 

And  they  said,  "So  do,  as  thou  hast  said."  And  Abram 
hastened  into  the  tent  unto  Sarai,  and  said,  "  Make  ready 
quickly  three  measures  of  fine  meal,  knead  it,  and  make  cakes." 
And  Abram  ran  unto  the  herd,  and  fetched  a  calf  tender  and 
good,  and  gave  it  unto  the  servant;  and  he  hastened  to  dress  it. 
And  he  took  butter,  and  milk,  and  the  calf  which  he  had  dressed. 


16  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

and  set  it  before  them;  and  he  stood  by  them  under  the  tree, 
and  they  did  eat. 

And  the}^  said  unto  him,  "  Where  is  Sarai  thy  wife?  "  And  he 
said,  "  Behold,  in  the  tent."  And  he  said,  ''  I  will  certainly 
return  unto  thee  when  the  season  cometh  round;  and,  lo,  Sarai 
thy  wife  shall  have  a  son."  And  Sarai  heard  in  the  tent  door, 
w^hich  was  behind  him.  Now  Abram  and  Sarai  were  old,  and 
well  stricken  in  age;  it  had  ceased  to  be  with  Sarai  after  the 
manner  of  women.  And  Sarai  laughed  within  herself,  saying, 
"  After  I  am  waxed  old  shall  I  have  pleasure,  my  lord  being  old 
also? "  And  Yahweh  said  unto  Abram,  ''  Wherefore  did 
Sarai  laugh,  saying,  '  Shall  I  of  a  surety  bear  a  child,  which  am 
old?  '  Is  anything  too  hard  for  Yahweh?  At  the  set  time  I 
will  return  unto  thee,  when  the  season  cometh  round,  and  Sarai 
shall  have  a  son."  Then  Sarai  denied,  sajdng,  "  I  laughed  not" ; 
for  she  was  afraid.    And  he  said,  ''  Nay;  but  thou  didst  laugh." 

And  the  men  rose  up  from  thence,  and  looked  toward  Sodom; 
and  Abram  went  with  them  to  bring  them  on  the  way. 
Yahweh  said,  "Shall  I  hide  from  Abram  that  which  I  do; 
seeing  that  Abram  shall  surely  become  a  great  and  mighty 
nation,  and  all  the  nations  of  the  earth  shall  be  blessed  in  him? 
For  I  have  known  him,  to  the  end  that  he  may  command  his 
children  and  his  household  after  him,  that  they  may  keep  the 
way  of  Yahweh,  to  do  justice  and  judgment;  to  the  end  that 
Yahweh  may  bring  upon  Abram,  that  which  he  hath  spoken 
of  him." 

And  Yahweh  said,  "  Because  the  cry  of  Sodom  and  Gomorrah 
is  great,  and  because  their  sin  is  very  grievous;  I  will  go  down 
now,  and  see  whether  thej^  have  done  altogether  according  to 
the  cry  of  it,  which  is  come  unto  me;  and  if  not,  I  will  know." 
And  the  men  turned  from  thence  and  went  toward  Sodom;  but 
Abram  stood  j^et  before  Yahweh. 

And  Abram  drew  near,  and  said  "  Wilt  thou  consume  the 
righteous  with  the  wicked?  Peradventure  there  be  fifty  right- 
eous \Nithin  the  city;  wilt  thou  consume  and  not  spare  the  place 
for  the  fifty  righteous  that  are  therein?  That  be  far  from  thee 
to  do  after  this  manner,  to  slay  the  righteous  with  the  wicked, 
that  so  the  righteous  should  be  as  the  wicked;  that  be  far  from 
thee:  shall  not  the  Judge  of  all  the  earth  do  right?  " 


GENESIS  17 

And  Yahweh  said,  "  If  I  find  in  Sodom  fifty  rigliteous  within 

the  city,  then  I  will  spare  all  the  place  for  their  sake." 
And  Abram  answered  and  said,  "  Behold  now,  I  have  taken 

upon  me  to  speak  unto  Yahweh,  which  am  but  dust  and  ashes: 

peradventure  there  shall  lack  five  of  the  fifty  righteous;   wilt 

thou  destroy  all  the  city  for  lack  of  five?  " 

And  he  said,  "  I  \vi\\  not  destroy  it,  if  I  find  there  forty  and 

five." 
And  he  spake  unto  him  yet  again,  and  said,  ''  Peradventure 

there  shall  be  forty  found  there." 
And  he  said,  "  I  will  not  do  it  for  the  forty's  sake." 
And  he  said,  "  0,  let  not  Yahweh  be  angry,  and  I  will  speak: 

peradventure  there  shall  thirty  be  found  there." 
And  he  said,  "  I  will  not  do  it,  if  I  find  thirty  there." 
And  he  said,  "  Behold,  now  I  have  taken  upon  me  to  speak 

unto  Yahweh:  peradventure  there  shall  be  twenty  found  there." 
And  he  said,  "  I  will  not  destroy  it  for  the  twenty's  sake." 
And  he  said,  "  0,  let  not  Yahweh  be  angry,  and  I  will  speak 

yet  but  this  once:  peradventure  ten  shall  be  found  there." 
And  he  said,  ''  I  will  not  destroy  it  for  the  ten's  sake." 
And  Yahweh  went  his  way,  as  soon  as  he  had  left  communing 

with  Abram :  and  Abram  returned  unto  his  place. 


And  two  angels  came  to  Sodom  at  even;  and  Lot  sat  in  the 
gate  of  Sodom;  and  Lot  saw  them,  and  rose  up  to  meet  them; 
and  he  bowed  himself  with  his  face  to  the  earth;  and  he  said, 
"  Behold  now,  my  lords,  turn  aside,  I  pray  you,  into  your  ser- 
vant's house,  and  tarry  all  night,  and  wash  your  feet,  and  ye 
shall  rise  up  early,  and  go  on  your  way."  And  they  said,  "  Nay; 
but  we  will  abide  in  the  street  all  night."  And  he  urged  them 
greatly;  and  they  turned  in  unto  him,  and  entered  into  his  house; 
and  he  made  them  a  feast,  and  did  bake  unleavened  bread,  and 
they  did  eat. 

But  before  they  lay  down,  the  men  of  the  city,  even  the  men 
of  Sodom,  compassed  the  house  round,  both  young  and  old,  all 
the  people  from  every  quarter;  and  they  called  unto  Lot,  and 
said  unto  him,  "  Where  are  the  men  which  came  in  to  thee  this 
night?    Bring  them  out  unto  us,  that  we  may  know  them." 


18  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  Lot  went  out  unto  them  to  the  door,  and  shut  the  door 
after  him.  And  lie  said,  "  I  pray  you,  my  brethren,  do  not  so 
wickedly.  Behold  now,  I  have  two  daughters  which  have  not 
known  man;  let  me,  I  pray  you,  bring  them  out  unto  you,  and 
do  ye  to  them  as  is  good  in  your  eyes:  only  unto  these  men  do 
nothing;  forasmuch  as  they  are  come  under  the  shadow  of  my 
roof." 

And  they  said,  ''  Stand  back."  And  they  said,  '^  This  one 
fellow  came  in  to  sojourn,  and  he  will  needs  be  a  judge;  now  will 
we  deal  worse  with  thee,  than  with  them." 

And  they  pressed  sore  upon  the  man,  even  Lot,  and  drew  near 
to  break  the  door.  But  the  men  put  forth  their  hand,  and 
brought  Lot  into  the  house  to  them,  and  shut  to  the  door. 
And  they  smote  the  men  that  were  at  the  door  of  the  house  with 
blindness,  both  small  and  great;  so  that  they  wearied  themselves 
to  find  the  door. 

And  the  men  said  unto  Lot,  "  Hast  thou  here  any  besides? 
Son-in-law,  and  thy  sons,  and  thy  daughters,  and  whomsoever 
thou  hast  in  the  city;  bring  them  out  of  the  place;  for  we  will 
destroy  this  place,  because  the  cry  of  them  is  waxen  great  before 
Yah  well ;  and  Yahweh  hath  sent  us  to  destroy  it." 

And  Lot  went  out,  and  spake  unto  his  sons-in-law,  which 
married  his  daughters,  and  said,  "  Up,  get  you  out  of  this  place; 
for  Yahweh  will  destroy  the  city."  But  he  seemed  unto  his 
sons-in-law  as  one  that  mocked.  And  when  the  morning  arose, 
then  the  angels  hastened  Lot,  saying,  '^  Arise,  take  thy  wife, 
and  thy  two  daughters  which  are  here;  lest  thou  be  consumed 
in  the  iniquity  of  the  city." 

But  he  lingered;  and  the  men  laid  hold  upon  his  hand,  and 
upon  the  hand  of  his  wife,  and  upon  the  hand  of  his  two  daugh- 
ters; Yahweh  being  merciful  unto  him;  and  they  brought  him 
forth,  and  set  him  without  the  city.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when 
they  brought  them  forth  abroad,  that  he  said,  "  Escape  for  thy 
life;  look  not  behind  thee,  neither  stay  thou  in  all  the  Plain; 
escape  to  the  mountain,  lest  thou  be  consumed." 

And  Lot  said  unto  them,  ''  0  not  so,  my  lord;  behold  now, 
thy  servant  hath  found  grace  in  thy  sight,  and  thou  hast  magni- 
fied thy  mercy,  which  thou  hast  shewed  unto  me  in  saving  my 
life;    and  I  cannot  escape  to  the  mountain,  lest  evil  overtake 


GENESIS  19 

me,  and  I  die :  behold  now,  this  city  is  near  to  flee  unto,  and  it  is 
a  little  one:  0  let  me  escape  thither  (is  it  not  a  little  one?) 
and  my  soul  shall  live." 

And  he  said  unto  him, ''  See,  I  have  accepted  thee  concerning 
this  thing  also,  that  I  will  not  overthrow  the  city  of  which  thou 
hast  spoken.  Haste  thee,  escape  thither;  for  I  cannot  do  any- 
thing till  thou  be  come  thither." 

Therefore,  the  name  of  the  city  was  called  Zoar.  The  sun 
was  risen  upon  the  earth  when  Lot  came  unto  Zoar. 

Then  Yahweh  rained  upon  Sodom  and  upon  Gomorrah  brim- 
stone and  fire  from  Yahweh  out  of  heaven;  and  he  overthrew 
those  cities,  and  all  the  Plain,  and  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  cities, 
and  that  which  grew  upon  the  ground.  But  his  wife  looked  ]:)ack 
from  behind  him,  and  she  became  a  pillar  of  salt. 

And  Abram  got  up  early  in  the  morning  to  the  place  where 
he  had  stood  before  Yahweh;  and  he  looked  toward  Sodom  and 
Gomorrah,  and  toward  all  the  land  of  the  Plain,  and  beheld, 
and  lo,  the  smoke  of  the  land  went  up  as  the  smoke  of  a  furnace. 

And  Lot  went  up  out  of  Zoar,  and  dwelt  in  the  mountain,  and 
his  two  daughters  with  him;  for  he  feared  to  dwell  in  Zoar; 
and  he  dwelt  in  a  cave,  he  and  his  two  daughters. 

And  the  firstborn  said  unto  the  younger,  '*  Our  father  is  old, 
and  there  is  not  a  man  in  the  earth  to  come  in  unto  us  after  the 
manner  of  all  the  earth:  come,  let  us  make  our  father  drink 
wine,  and  we  will  lie  with  him,  that  we  may  preserve  seed  of  our 
father."  And  they  made  their  father  drink  wine  that  night: 
and  the  firstborn  went  in,  and  lay  with  her  father;  and  he  knew 
not  when  she  lay  down,  nor  when  she  arose.  And  it  came  to 
pass  on  the  morrow,  that  the  firstborn  said  unto  the  younger, 
''  Behold,  I  lay  yesternight  with  my  father:  let  us  make  him 
drink  wine  this  night  also ;  and  go  thou  in,  and  lie  with  him,  that 
we  may  preserve  seed  of  our  father."  And  they  made  their 
father  drink  wine  that  night  also:  and  the  younger  arose,  and 
lay  with  him;  and  he  knew  not  when  she  lay  down,  nor  when  she 
arose.  Thus  were  both  the  daughters  of  Lot  with  child  by  their 
father.  And  the  firstborn  bare  a  son,  and  called  his  name  Moab ; 
the  same  is  the  father  of  the  Moabites  unto  this  day.  And  the 
younger,  she  also  bare  a  son,  and  called  his  name  Ben-ammi: 
the  same  is  the  father  of  the  children  of  Ammon  unto  this  day. 


20  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  Yah  well  visited  Sarai  as  he  had  said.  And  Sarai  con- 
ceived and  bare  Abram  a  son  in  his  old  age.  And  she  said 
''  Who  would  have  said  unto  Abram,  that  Sarai  should  give 
children  suck?    For  I  have  borne  him  a  son  in  his  old  age." 

And  Abram  reproved  Abimelech  because  of  the  well  of 
water,  which  Abimelech's  servants  had  violently  taken  away. 
And  Abimelech  said,  "  I  know  not  who  hath  done  this  thing: 
neither  didst  thou  tell  me,  neither  yet  heard  I  of  it,  but  today." 
And  Abram  set  seven  ewe  lambs  of  the  flock  by  themselves. 
And  Abimelech  said  unto  Abram,  ''  What  mean  these  seven 
ewe  lambs  which  thou  hast  set  by  themselves?  "  And  he  said, 
"  These  seven  ewe  lambs  shalt  thou  take  of  my  hand,  that  it 
may  be  a  witness  unto  me,  that  I  have  digged  this  well."  So 
they  made  a  covenant  at  Beer-sheba:  and  Abimelech  rose  up, 
and  Phicol  the  captain  of  his  host,  and  they  returned  into  the 
land  of  the  Philistines.  And  Abram  planted  a  tamarisk  tree 
in  Beer-sheba,  and  called  there  on  the  name  of  Yahweh,  the 
Everlasting  God.  And  Abram  sojourned  in  the  land  of  the 
Philistines  many  days. 

And  it  came  to  pass  after  these  things,  that  it  was  told 
Abram,  saying,  ''  Behold,  Milcali,  she  also  hath  borne  children 
unto  thy  brother  Nahor:  Uz  his  firstborn,  and  Buz  his  brother, 
and  Kemuel  the  father  of  Aram:  and  Chesed,  and  Hazo,  and 
Pildash,  and  Jidlaph,  and  Bethuel.  And  Bethuel  begat  Reb- 
ekah:  these  eight  did  Milcah  bear  to  Nahor,  Abram's  brother. 
And  his  concubine,  whose  name  was  Reumah,  she  also  bare 
Tebah,  and  Gaham,  and  Tahash,  and  Maacah. 

And  Abram  was  old,  and  well-stricken  in  age;  and  Yahweh 
had  blessed  Abram  in  all  things.  And  Abram  said  unto  his 
servant,  the  elder  of  his  house,  that  ruled  over  all  that  he  had, 
"  Put,  I  pray  thee,  thy  hand  under  my  thigh:  and  I  will  make 
thee  swear  by  Yahweh,  the  God  of  heaven  and  the  God  of  the 
earth,  that  thou  shalt  not  take  a  wife  for  my  son  of  the  daughters 
of  the  Cauaanites,  among  whom  I  dwell:  but  thou  shalt  go  unto 
my  country,  and  to  mj^  kindred,  and  take  a  wife  for  my  son 
Isaac." 


GENESIS  21 

And  the  servant  said  unto  him,  "  Peradventure  the  woman 
will  not  be  willing  to  follow  me  unto  this  land:  must  I  needs 
bring  thy  son  again  unto  the  land  from  whence  thou  camest?  " 

And  Abram  said  unto  him,  "  Beware  thou  that  thou  bring 
not  my  son  thither  again.  Yahweh,  the  God  of  heaven,  that 
took  me  from  my  father's  house,  and  from  the  land  of  my  na- 
tivity, and  that  spake  unto  me,  and  that  swear  unto  me,  saying, 
'  Unto  thy  seed  will  I  give  this  land :  he  shall  send  his  angel 
before  thee,  and  thou  shalt  take  a  wife  for  my  son  from  thence. 
And  if  the  woman  be  not  willing  to  follow  thee,  then  thou  shalt 
be  clear  from  this  my  oath;  only  thou  shalt  not  bring  my  son 
thither  again.'  " 

And  the  servant  put  his  hand  under  the  thigh  of  Abram  his 
master,  and  sware  to  him  concerning  this  matter.  And  the 
servant  took  ten  camels,  of  the  camels  of  his  master,  and  de- 
parted; having  all  goodly  things  of  his  master's  in  his  hand; 
and  he  arose,  and  went  to  Mesopotamia,  unto  the  city  of  Nahor. 

And  he  made  the  camels  to  kneel  down  without  the  city  by 
the  well  of  water  at  the  time  of  evening,  the  time  that  women  go 
out  to  draw  water.  And  he  said,  "  0  Yahweh,  the  God  of  mj^ 
master  Abram,  send  me,  I  pray  thee,  good  speed  this  day,  and 
shew  kindness  unto  my  master  Abram.  Behold,  I  stand  by 
the  fountain  of  water;  and  the  daughters  of  the  men  of  the  city 
come  out  to  draw  water :  and  let  it  come  to  pass,  that  the  damsel 
to  whom  I  shall  say,  '  Let  doTVTi  thy  pitcher,  I  pray  thee,  that  I 
may  drink  ' ;  and  she  shall  say,  '  Drink,  and  I  will  give  thy 
camels  drink  also  ' :  let  the  same  be  she  that  thou  hast  appointed 
for  thy  servant  Isaac;  and  thereby  shall  I  know  that  thou  hast 
shewed  kindness  unto  my  master." 

And  it  came  to  pass,  before  he  had  done  spealdng,  that,  behold, 
Rebekah  came  out,  who  was  born  to  Bethuel  the  son  of  Milcah, 
the  wife  of  Nahor,  Abram's  brother,  with  her  pitcher  upon  her 
shoulder.  And  the  damsel  was  very  fair  to  look  upon,  a  virgin, 
neither  had  any  man  known  her;  and  she  went  down  to  the 
fountain,  and  filled  her  pitcher,  and  came  up. 

And  the  servant  ran  to  meet  her,  and  said,  ''  Give  me  to  drink, 
I  pray  thee,  a  little  water  of  thy  pitcher."  And  she  said,  "Drink, 
my  lord  ":  and  she  hasted,  and  let  down  her  pitcher  upon  her 
hand,  and  gave  him  drink.    And  when  she  had  done  giving  him 


22  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

drink,  she  said,  "  I  will  draw  for  thy  camels  also,  until  they  have 
done  driiildng." 

And  she  hasted  and  emptied  her  pitcher  into  the  trough,  and 
ran  again  unto  the  well  to  draw,  and  drew  for  all  his  camels. 
And  the  man  looked  steadfastly  on  her;  holding  his  peace,  to 
know  whetlier  Yahweh  had  made  his  journey  prosperous  or  not. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  as  the  camels  had  done  drinking,  that  the 
]nan  took  a  golden  ring  of  half  a  shekel  weight,  and  two  brace- 
lets for  the  hands  of  ten  shekels  weight  of  gold;  and  said,  ''Whose 
daughter  art  thou?  Tell  me,  I  pray  thee.  Is  there  room  in 
thy  father's  house  for  us  to  lodge  in?  " 

And  she  said  unto  him,  "  I  am  the  daughter  of  Bethuel,  the 
son  of  Milcah,  which  she  bare  unto  Nahor."  She  said  more- 
over unto  him,  "  We  have  both  straw  and  provender  enough, 
and  room  to  lodge  in." 

And  the  man  bowed  his  head,  and  worshipped  Yahweh.  And 
he  said,  "  Blessed  be  Yahweh,  the  God  of  my  master  Abram, 
w^ho  hath  not  forsaken  his  mercy  and  his  truth  tow^ard  my 
master:  as  for  me,  Yahw^eh  hath  led  me  in  the  way  to  the  house 
of  thy  master's  brethren." 

And  the  damsel  ran,  and  told  her  mother's  house  according 
to  these  words.  And  Rebekah  had  a  brother,  and  his  name  was 
Laban:  and  Lal)an  ran  out  unto  the  man,  unto  the  fountain. 
And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  saw  the  ring,  and  the  bracelets 
upon  his  sister's  hands,  and  when  he  heard  the  words  of  Rebekah 
his  sister,  saying,  ''Thus  spake  the  man  unto  me":  that  he 
came  unto  the  man;  and,  behold,  he  stood  by  the  camels  at  the 
fountain.  And  he  said,  "  Come  in,  thou  blessed  of  Yahweh; 
wherefore  standest  thou  without?  For  I  have  prepared  the 
house,  and  room  for  the  camels." 

And  the  man  came  into  the  house,  and  he  ungirded  the  camels; 
and  he  gave  straw  and  provender  for  the  camels,  and  water  to 
wash  his  feet  and  the  men's  feet  that  were  with  him.  And  there 
was  set  meat  before  him  to  eat,  but  he  said,  "  I  ^vill  not  eat, 
until  I  have  told  mine  errand."    And  he  said,  "  Speak  on." 

And  he  said,  "  I  am  Abram's  servant.  And  Yahweh  hath 
blessed  my  master  greatly;  and  he  is  become  great:  and  he 
hath  given  him  flocks  and  herds,  and  silver  and  gold,  and  men- 
servants  and  maidservants,  and  camels  and  asses.    And  Sarai 


GENESIS  23 

my  master's  wife  bare  a  son  to  my  master  when  she  was  old: 
and  unto  him  hath  he  given  all  that  he  hath.  And  my  master 
made  me  swear,  saying,  '  Thou  shalt  not  take  a  ^vife  for  my  son 
of  the  daughters  of  the  Canaanites,  in  whose  land  I  dwell: 
but  thou  shalt  go  unto  my  father's  house,  and  to  my  kindred, 
and  take  a  wife  for  my  son.'  And  I  said  unto  my  master, 
'  Peradventure  the  woman  will  not  follow  me.'  And  he  said 
unto  me,  '  Yahweh,  before  whom  I  walk,  will  send  his  angel 
with  thee,  and  prosper  thy  way;  and  thou  shalt  take  a  wife  for 
my  son  of  my  kindred,  and  of  my  father's  house:  Then  shalt 
thou  be  clear  from  my  oath,  when  thou  comest  to  my  kindred; 
and  if  they  give  her  not  to  thee,  thou  shalt  be  clear  from  my 
oath.'  And  I  came  this  day  unto  the  fountain,  and  said,  '  0 
Yahweh,  the  God  of  my  master  Abram,  if  now  thou  do  prosper 
my  way  which  I  go:  behold,  I  stand  by  the  fountain  of  water; 
and  let  it  come  to  pass,  that  the  maiden  which  cometh  forth  to 
draw,  to  whom  I  shall  say,  '  Give  me,  I  pray  thee,  a  little  water 
of  thy  pitcher  to  drink  ';  and  she  shall  say  to  me,  '  Both  drink 
thou,  and  I  will  also  draw  for  thy  camels  ';  let  the  same  be  the 
woman  whom  Yahweh  hath  appointed  for  my  master's  son.' 
And  before  I  had  done  speaking  in  mine  heart,  behold,  Rebekah 
came  forth  with  her  pitcher  on  her  shoulder;  and  she  went  down 
unto  the  fountain,  and  drew:  and  I  said  unto  her, '  Let  me  drink, 
I  pray  thee.'  And  she  made  haste,  and  let  down  her  pitcher 
from  her  shoulder,  and  said,  '  Drink,  and  I  will  give  thy  camels 
drink  also  ':  so  I  drank,  and  she  made  the  camels  drink  also. 
And  I  asked  her,  and  said,  '  Whose  daughter  art  thou?  '  And 
she  said,  '  The  daughter  of  Bethuel,  Nahor's  son,  whom  Milcah 
bare  unto  him  ' :  and  I  put  the  ring  upon  her  nose  and  the 
bracelets  upon  her  hands.  And  I  bowed  my  head,  and  worshipped 
Yahweh,  and  blessed  Yahweh,  the  God  of  my  master  Abram, 
which  had  led  me  in  the  right  way  to  take  my  master's  brother's 
daughter  for  his  son.  xlnd  now  if  ye  mil  deal  kindly  and  truly 
with  my  master,  tell  me;  and  if  not,  tell  me;  that  I  may  turn  to 
the  right  hand,  or  to  the  left." 

Then  Laban  and  Bethuel  answered  and  said,  "  The  thing 
proceedeth  from  Yahweh;  we  cannot  speak  unto  thee  bad  or 
good.  Behold,  Rebekah  is  before  thee,  take  her,  and  go,  and 
let  her  be  thy  master's  son's  wife,  as  Yahweh  hath  spoken." 


24  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  it  came  to  pass,  that,  when  Abram's  servant  heard  then* 
words,  he  bowed  himself  down  to  the  earth  unto  Yahweh.  And 
the  servant  brought  forth  jewels  of  silver,  and  jewels  of  gold, 
and  raiment,  and  gave  them  to  Rebekah;  he  gave  also  to  her 
brother  and  to  her  mother  precious  things.  And  they  did  eat 
and  drink,  he  and  the  men  that  were  with  him,  and  tarried  all 
night;  and  they  rose  up  in  the  morning,  and  he  said,  "  Send  me 
away  unto  my  master." 

And  her  brother  and  her  mother  said,  ''  Let  the  damsel  abide 
with  us  a  few  days,  at  the  least  ten;  after  that  she  shall  go." 
And  he  said  unto  them,  "  Hinder  me  not,  seeing  Yahweh  hath 
prospered  my  way;  send  me  away  that  I  may  go  to  my  master." 

And  they  said,  "  We  will  call  the  damsel,  and  inquire  at  her 
mouth."  And  they  called  Rebekah,  and  said  unto  her,  "  Wilt 
thou  go  with  this  man?  "    And  she  said,  "  I  will  go." 

And  they  sent  away  Rebekah  their  sister,  and  her  nurse,  and 
Abram's  servant,  and  his  men.  And  they  blessed  Rebekah 
and  said  unto  her,  "  Our  sister,  be  thou  the  mother  of  thousands 
of  ten  thousands,  and  let  thy  seed  possess  the  gate  of  those  which 
hate  them."  And  Rebekah  arose,  and  her  damsels,  and  they 
rode  upon  the  camels,  and  followed  the  man:  and  the  servant 
took  Rebekah,  and  went  his  way. 

And  Isaac  came  from  the  way  of  Beer-lahai-roi;  for  he  dwelt 
in  the  land  of  the  South.  And  Isaac  went  out  to  meditate  in  the 
field  at  the  eventide;  and  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and  saw,  and, 
behold,  there  were  camels  commg.  And  Rebekah  lifted  up  her 
eyes,  and  when  she  saw  Isaac,  she  lighted  off  the  camel.  And 
she  said  unto  the  servant,  "  What  man  is  this  that  walketh  in 
the  field  to  meet  us?  "  And  the  servant  said,  "  It  is  my  master  " ; 
and  she  took  her  veil,  and  covered  herself. 

And  the  servant  told  Isaac  all  the  things  that  he  had  done. 
And  Isaac  brought  her  into  his  mother  Sarai's  tent,  and  took 
Rebekah,  and  she  became  his  wdfe;  and  he  loved  her;  and  Isaac 
was  comforted  after  his  mother's  death. 


And  Abram  took  another  wife,  and  her  name  was  Keturah. 
And  she  bare  him  Zimran,  and  Jokshan,  and  Medan,  and  !Midian, 
and  Ishbak,  and  Shuah.    And  Jokshan  begat  Sheba,  and  Dedan. 


GENESIS  25 

And  the  sons  of  Dedan  were  Asshurim,  and  Letushim,  and  Leum- 
mim.  And  the  sons  of  Midian:  Ephah,  and  Epher,  and  Hanoch, 
and  Abida,  and  Eldaah.  All  these  were  the  children  of  Keturah. 
And  Abram  gave  all  that  he  had  unto  Isaac.  But  unto  the 
sons  of  the  concubines,  which  Abram  had,  Abram  gave  gifts; 
and  he  sent  them  away  from  Isaac  his  son,  while  he  yet  lived, 
eastward,  unto  the  east  country. 


The  Story  of  Isaac 

And  Isaac  dwelt  by  Beer-lahai-roi.  And  they  dwelt  from 
Havilah  unto  Shur  that  is  before  Egj'-pt,  as  thou  goest  toward 
Assyria:  he  abode  in  the  presence  of  all  his  brethren. 

And  Isaac  intreated  Yahweh  for  his  wife,  because  she  was 
barren;  and  Yahweh  was  intreated  of  him,  and  Rebekah  his 
wife  conceived.  And  the  children  struggled  together  within  her; 
and  she  said,  "  If  it  be  so,  wherefore  do  I  live?  "  And  she  went 
to  inquire  of  Yahweh. 

And  Yahweh  said  unto  her, 

"  Two  nations  are  in  thy  womb, 
And  two  people  shall  be  separated  even  from  thy  bowels; 
And  the  one  people  shall  be  stronger  than  the  other  people; 
And  the  elder  shall  serve  the  younger." 

And  when  her  days  to  be  delivered  were  fulfilled,  behold,  there 
were  twins  in  her  womb.  And  the  first  came  forth  red,  all  over 
like  an  hairy  garment;  and  they  called  his  name  Esau.  And 
after  that  came  forth  his  brother,  and  his  hand  had  hold  on 
Esau's  heel;  and  his  name  was  called  Jacob. 

And  the  boys  gi'ew;  and  Esau  was  a  cunning  hunter,  a  man 
of  the  field;  and  Jacob  was  a  plain  man,  dwelling  in  tents. 

Now  Isaac  loved  Esau,  because  he  did  eat  of  his  venison;  and 
Rebekah  loved  Jacob.  And  Jacob  sod  pottage ;  and  Esau  came 
in  from  the  field,  and  he  was  faint:  and  Esau  said  to  Jacob, 
"  Feed  me,  I  pray  thee,  with  that  same  red  pottage;  for  I  am 
faint  ":  therefore  was  his  name  called  Edom.  And  Jacob  said, 
"  Sell  me  this  day  thy  birthright."  And  Esau  said,  "  Behold, 
I  am  at  the  point  to  die :  and  what  profit  shall  the  birthright  do 
to  me?  "  And  Jacob  said,  "  Swear  to  me  this  day  ":  and  he 
sware  unto  him:   and  he  sold  his  birthright  unto  Jacob.    And 


26  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

Jacob  gave  Esau  bread  and  pottage  of  lentils;  and  he  did  eat 
and  drink,  and  rose  up  and  went  his  way:  so  Esau  despised  his 
birthright. 


And  Isaac  dwelt  in  Gerar:  and  the  men  of  the  place  asked  him 
of  his  wife;  and  he  said,  "  She  is  my  sister  ":  for  he  feared  to 
say,  "  Mj^  wife  ";  "  lest/'  said  he,  "  the  men  of  the  place  should 
kill  me  for  Rebekah  ":  because  she  was  fair  to  look  upon. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  had  been  there  a  long  time,  that 
Abimelech,  king  of  the  Philistines,  looked  out  at  a  window,  and 
saw,  and,  behold,  Isaac  was  sporting  with  Rebekah  his  wife. 
And  Abimelech  called  Isaac,  and  said,  "  Behold,  of  a  surety  she 
is  thy  wife:  and  how  saidst  thou,  '  She  is  my  sister '?  "  And 
Isaac  said  unto  him,  "  Because  I  said.  Lest  I  die  for  her."  And 
Abimelech  said,  "  What  is  this  thou  hast  done  unto  us?  One 
of  the  people  might  lightly  have  lien  vnth.  thy  wife,  and  thou 
shouldest  have  brought  guiltiness  upon  us." 

And  Abimelech  charged  all  the  people,  saying,  ''  He  that 
toucheth  this  man  or  his  wife  shall  surely  be  put  to  death." 

And  Isaac  sowed  in  that  land,  and  found  in  the  same  year  an 
hundredfold:  and  Yahweh  blessed  him.  And  the  man  waxed 
great,  and  grew  more  and  more  until  he  became  very  great: 
and  he  had  possessions  of  flocks,  and  possessions  of  herds,  and  a 
great  household:   And  the  Philistines  envied  him. 

Now  all  the  wells  which  his  father's  servants  had  digged  in 
the  days  of  Abram  his  father,  the  Philistines  had  stopped 
them,  and  filled  them  with  earth.  And  Abimelech  said  unto 
Isaac,  "Go  from  us;  for  thou  art  much  mightier  than  we." 
And  Isaac  departed  thence,  and  encamped  in  the  valley  of 
Gerar,  and  dwelt  there. 

And  Isaac  digged  again  the  wells  of  water,  which  they  had 
digged  in  the  days  of  Abram  his  father;  for  the  Philistines 
had  stopped  them  after  the  death  of  Abram;  and  he  called 
their  names  after  the  names  by  which  his  father  had  called  them. 
And  Isaac's  servants  digged  in  the  valley,  and  found  there  a 
well  of  sprmging  water.  And  the  herdmen  of  Gerar  strove  with 
Isaac's  herdmen,  saying,  "  The  water  is  ours  ":  and  he  called 
the  name  of  the  well  Esek;   because  they  contended  with  him. 


GENESIS  27 

And  they  digged  another  well,  and  they  strove  for  that  also; 
and  he  called  the  name  of  it  Sitnah.  And  he  removed  from 
thence,  and  digged  another  well;  and  for  that  they  strove  not: 
and  he  called  the  name  of  it  Rehoboth;  and  he  said,  "  For  now 
Yahweh  hath  made  room  for  us,  and  we  shall  be  fruitful  in  the 
land."    And  he  went  up  from  thence  to  Beer-sheba. 

And  Yahweh  appeared  unto  him  the  same  night,  and  said, 
"  I  am  the  God  of  Abram  thy  father:  fear  not,  for  I  am  ^^dth 
thee,  and  will  bless  thee,  and  multiply  thy  seed  for  my  servant 
Abram's  sake."  And  he  builded  an  altar  there,  and  called 
upon  the  name  of  Yahweh,  and  pitched  his  tent  there:  and  there 
Isaac's  servants  digged  a  well. 

Then  Abimelech  went  to  him  from  Gerar,  and  Ahuzzath  his 
friend,  and  Phicol  the  captain  of  his  host.  And  Isaac  said  unto 
them,  "  Wherefore  are  ye  come  unto  me,  seeing  ye  hate  me,  and 
have  sent  me  away  from  you?  "  And  they  said,  ''  We  saw 
plainly  that  Yahweh  was  with  thee;  and  we  said, '  Let  there  now 
be  an  oath  betwixt  us,  even  betwixt  us  and  thee  ',  and  let  us 
make  a  covenant  with  thee;  that  thou  wilt  do  us  no  hurt,  as  we 
have  not  touched  thee,  and  as  we  have  done  unto  thee  nothing 
but  good,  and  have  sent  thee  away  in  peace;  thou  art  now  the 
blessed  of  Yahweh." 

And  he  made  them  a  feast,  and  they  did  eat  and  drink.  And 
they  rose  up  betimes  in  the  morning,  and  sware  one  to  another : 
and  Isaac  sent  them  away,  and  they  departed  from  him  in  peace. 
And  it  came  to  pass  the  same  day,  that  Isaac's  servants  came, 
and  told  him  concerning  the  well  which  they  had  digged,  and 
said  unto  him,  "  We  have  found  water."  And  he  called  it 
Shibah:  therefore,  the  name  of  the  city  is  Beer-sheba  unto 
this  day. 


And  it  came  to  pass,  that  when  Isaac  was  old,  and  his  eyes 
were  dim,  so  that  he  could  not  see,  he  called  Esau  his  elder  son, 
and  said  unto  him,  "  My  son  ":  and  he  said  unto  him,  "  Here 
am  I."  And  he  said,  "  Behold,  now,  I  am  old,  I  know  not  the 
day  of  my  death.  Now,  therefore,  take,  I  pray  thee,  thy  weap- 
ons, thy  quiver  and  thy  bow,  and  go  out  to  the  field,  and  take 
me  venison;  and  make  me  savoury  meat,  such  as  I  love,  and  bring 


28  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

it  to  me,  that  I  may  eat;  that  my  soul  may  bless  thee 
before  I  die." 

And  Rebekah  heard  when  Isaac  spake  to  Esau  his  son. 
And  Esau  went  to  the  field  to  hunt  for  venison,  and  to  bring  it. 
And  Rebekah  spake  unto  Jacob  her  son,  saying,  ''  Behold,  I 
heard  thy  father  speak  unto  Esau  thy  brother,  saying, '  Bring  me 
venison,  and  make  me  savoury  meat,  that  I  may  eat,  and  bless 
thee  before  Yahweh  before  my  death.'  Now,  therefore,  my  son, 
obey  my  voice  according  to  that  which  I  command  thee.  Go 
now  to  the  flock,  and  fetch  me  from  thence  two  good  kids  of  the 
goats;  and  I  will  make  them  savoury  meat  for  thy  father,  such 
as  he  loveth :  and  thou  shalt  bring  it  to  thy  father,  that  he  may 
eat,  so  that  he  may  bless  thee  before  his  death." 

And  Jacob  said  to  Rebekah  his  mother,  "  Behold,  Esau  my 
brother  is  a  hairy  man,  and  I  am  a  smooth  man.  My  father 
peradventure  will  feel  me,  and  I  shall  seem  to  him  as  a  deceiver; 
and  I  shall  bring  a  curse  upon  me,  and  not  a  blessing." 

And  his  mother  said  unto  him,  "  Upon  me  be  thy  curse,  my 
son:  only  obe}^  my  voice,  and  go  fetch  me  them," 

And  he  went,  and  fetched,  and  brought  them  to  his  mother: 
and  his  mother  made  savoury  meat,  such  as  his  father  loved. 
And  Rebekah  took  the  goodly  raiment  of  Esau  her  elder  son, 
which  were  with  her  in  the  house,  and  put  them  upon  Jacob  her 
younger  son :  and  she  put  the  skins  of  the  kids  of  the  goats  upon 
his  hands,  and  upon  the  smooth  of  his  neck:  and  she  gave  the 
savoury  meat  and  the  bread,  which  she  had  prepared,  into  the 
hands  of  her  son  Jacob. 

And  he  came  unto  his  father,  and  said,  "  My  father  " :  and  he 
said,  "  Here  am  I;  who  art  thou,  my  son?  "  And  Jacob  said 
unto  his  father,  "  I  am  Esau  thy  firstborn;  I  have  done  accord- 
ing as  thou  badest  me :  arise,  I  pray  thee,  sit  and  eat  of  my  veni- 
son, that  thy  soul  may  bless  me."  And  Isaac  said  unto  his  son, 
"  How  is  it  that  thou  hast  found  it  so  quickly,  my  son?  "  And 
he  said,  ''  Because  Yah  well  thy  God  sent  me  good  speed."  And 
Isaac  said  unto  Jacob,  "  Come  near,  I  pray  thee,  that  I  may 
feel  thee,  my  son,  whether  thou  be  my  verj'-  son  Esau  or 
not."  And  Jacob  went  near  unto  Isaac  his  father;  and  he  felt 
liim,  and  said,  "  The  voice  is  Jacob's  voice,  but  the  hands  are 
the  hands  of  Esau."     And  he  discerned  him  not,  because  his 


GENESIS  29 

hands  were  hairy,  as  his  brother  Esau's  hands:  so  he  blessed 
him. 

And  he  said,  "  Art  thou  my  verj^  son  Esau?  "  And  he  said, 
"  I  am."  And  he  said,  "  Bring  it  near  to  me,  and  I  will  eat  of 
my  son's  venison,  that  my  soul  may  bless  thee."  And  he 
brought  it  near  to  him,  and  he  did  eat:  and  he  brought  him 
wine,  and  he  drank. 

And  his  father  Isaac  said  unto  him,  "  Come  near  now,  and  kiss 
me,  my  son."  And  he  came  near,  and  kissed  him:  and  he 
smelled  the  smell  of  his  raiment,  and  blessed  him,  and  said, 

"  See,  the  smell  of  my  son 
Is  as  the  smell  of  a  field  which  Yahweh  hath  blessed; 
And  God  give  thee  of  the  dew  of  heaven, 
And  of  the  fatness  of  the  earth, 
And  plenty  of  corn  and  wine: 
Let  peoples  serve  thee. 
And  nations  bow  down  to  thee: 
Be  lord  over  thy  brethren, 
And  let  thy  mother's  sons  bow  down  to  thee : 
Cursed  be  every  one  that  curseth  thee. 
And  blessed  be  every  one  that  blesseth  thee." 

And  it  came  to  pass,  as  soon  as  Isaac  had  made  an  end  of 
blessing  Jacob,  and  Jacob  was  yet  scarce  gone  out  from  the 
presence  of  Isaac  his  father,  that  Esau  his  brother  came  in  from 
his  hunting.  And  he  also  made  savoury  meat,  and  brought  it 
unto  his  father;  and  he  said  unto  his  father,  "  Let  my  father 
arise,  and  eat  of  his  son's  venison,  that  thy  soul  may  bless  me." 
And  Isaac  his  father  said  unto  him,  "  Who  art  thou?  "  And  he 
said,  ''  I  am  thy  son,  thy  firstborn,  Esau." 

And  Isaac  trembled  very  exceedingly,  and  said,  "  Who  then 
is  he  that  hath  taken  venison,  and  brought  it  to  me,  and  I  have 
eaten  of  all  before  thou  camest,  and  have  blessed  him?  Yea, 
and  he  shall  be  blessed." 

When  Esau  heard  the  words  of  his  father,  he  cried  with  an 
exceeding  great  and  bitter  cry,  and  said  unto  his  father,  ''  Bless 
me,  even  me  also,  0  my  father." 

And  he  said,  "  Thy  brother  came  with  guile,  and  hath  taken 
away  thy  blessing." 


30  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  he  said,  "  Is  not  he  rightly  named  Jacob?  For  he  hath 
supplanted  me  these  two  times:  he  took  away  my  birthright; 
and,  behold,  now  he  hath  taken  aw^ay  my  blessing."  And  he 
said,  "  Hast  thou  not  reserved  a  blessing  for  me?  " 

And  Isaac  answered  and  said  unto  Esau,  ''  Behold,  I  have 
made  him  thj^  lord,  and  all  his  brethren  have  I  given  to  him  for 
servants;  and  with  corn  and  wine  have  I  sustained  him:  and 
what  then  shall  I  do  for  thee,  my  son?  " 

And  Esau  said  unto  his  father,  ''  Hast  thou  but  one  blessing, 
my  father?  Bless  me,  even  me  also,  0  my  father."  And  Esau 
lifted  up  his  voice  and  wept. 

And  Isaac  his  father  answered  and  said  unto  him, 

"  Behold,  of  the  fatness  of  the  earth  shall  be  thy  dwelling, 
And  of  the  dew  of  heaven  from  above; 
And  by  thy  sword  shalt  thou  live,  and  thou  shalt  serve  thy 

brother ; 
And  it  shall  come  to  pass  when  thou  shalt  break  loose, 
That  thou  shalt  shake  his  yoke  from  oE  thy  neck." 

And  Esau  hated  Jacob  because  of  the  blessing  wherewith  his 
father  blessed  him:  and  Esau  said  in  his  heart,  "  The  days  of 
mourning  for  my  father  are  at  hand ;  then  will  I  slay  my  brother 
Jacob." 

And  the  words  of  Esau  her  elder  son  were  told  to  Rebekah; 
and  she  sent  and  called  Jacob  her  younger  son,  and  said  unto 
him,  "  Behold,  thy  brother  Esau,  as  touching  thee,  doth  comfort 
hunself,  purposing  to  kill  thee.  Now,  therefore,  my  son,  obey 
my  voice;  and  arise,  flee  thou  to  Laban  my  brother  to  Haran; 
and  tarry  with  him  a  few  days,  until  thy  brother's  fury  turn 
away;  until  thy  brother's  anger  turn  away  from  thee,  and  he 
forget  that  which  thou  hast  done  to  him:  then  I  will  send,  and 
fetch  thee  from  thence:  why  should  I  be  bereaved  of  you  both 
in  one  day?  " 

The  Story  of  Jacob 

And  Jacob  went  out  from  Beer-sheba,  and  went  toward  Haran. 

And  he  lighted  upon  a  certain  place,  and  tarried  there  all  night, 

because  the  sun  was  set;  and  he  took  one  of  the  stones  of  the 

place,  and  put  it  under  his  head,  and  lay  down  in  that  place  to 


GENESIS  31 

sleep.  iVnd  he  dreamed,  and  behold  a  ladder  set  up  on  the  earth, 
and  the  top  of  it  reached  to  heaven:  and  behold  the  angels  of 
God  ascending  and  descending  on  it.  And,  behold,  Yahweh 
stood  above  it,  and  said,  "  I  am  Yahweh,  the  God  of  Abram 
thy  father,  and  the  God  of  Isaac :  the  land  whereon  thou  liest, 
to  thee  will  I  give  it,  and  to  thy  seed;  and  thy  seed  shall  be  as  the 
dust  of  the  earth,  and  thou  shalt  spread  abroad  to  the  west,  and 
to  the  east,  and  to  the  north,  and  to  the  south:  and  in  thee  and 
in  thy  seed  shall  all  the  families  of  the  earth  be  blessed.  And 
behold,  I  am  with  thee,  and  will  keep  thee  whithersoever  thou 
goest,  and  will  bring  thee  again  into  this  land;  for  I  will  not 
leave  thee,  until  I  have  done  that  which  I  have  spoken  to 
thee  of." 

And  Jacob  awaked  out  of  his  sleep,  and  he  said,  "  Surely 
Yahwehisin  this  place;  and  I  knew  it  not."  And  he  was  afraid, 
and  said,  "  How  dreadful  is  this  place!  This  is  none  other  but 
the  house  of  God,  and  this  is  the  gate  of  heaven." 

And  Jacob  rose  up  early  in  the  morning,  and  took  the  stone 
that  he  had  put  under  his  head,  and  set  it  up  for  a  pillar,  and 
poured  oil  upon  the  top  of  it.  And  he  called  the  name  of  that 
place  Beth-el:  but  the  name  of  the  city  was  Luz  at  the  first. 
And  Jacob  vowed  a  vow,  saying,  "  If  God  will  be  with  me,  and 
will  keep  me  in  this  way  that  I  go,  and  will  give  me  bread  to  eat, 
and  raiment  to  put  on,  so  that  I  come  again  to  my  father's  house 
in  peace,  then  shall  Yahweh  be  my  God,  and  this  stone,  which  I 
have  set  up  for  a  pillar,  shall  be  God's  house :  and  of  all  that  thou 
shalt  give  me  I  will  surely  give  the  tenth  unto  thee." 


And  he  looked,  and  behold  a  v/ell  in  the  field,  and,  lo,  three 
flocks  of  sheep  lymg  there  by  it;  for  out  of  that  well  they  watered 
the  flocks:  and  the  stone  upon  the  well's  mouth  was  great. 
And  thither  were  all  the  flocks  gathered:  and  they  rolled  the 
stone  from  the  well's  mouth,  and  watered  the  sheep,  and  put 
the  stone  again  upon  the  well's  mouth  in  its  place. 

And  Jacob  said  unto  them,  "  My  brethren,  whence  be  ye?  " 
And  they  said,  "  of  Haran  are  we."  And  he  said  unto  them, 
"  Know  ye  Laban  the  son  of  Nahor?  "  And  they  said,  "  We 
know  him."    And  he  said  unto  them,  ''  Is  it  well  with  him?  " 


32  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  they  said,  "It  is  well:  and,  behold,  Rachel  his  daughter 
Cometh  with  the  sheep."  And  he  said,  "  Lo,  it  is  yet  high  day, 
neither  is  it  time  that  the  cattle  should  be  gathered  together: 
water  ye  the  sheep,  and  go  and  feed  them."  And  they  said, 
"  We  cannot,  until  all  the  flocks  be  gathered  together,  and  they 
roll  the  stone  from  the  well's  mouth;  then  we  water  the  sheep." 

While  yet  he  spake  with  them,  Rachel  came  with  her  father's 
sheep;  for  she  kept  them.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Jacob 
saw  Rachel  the  daughter  of  Laban  his  mother's  brother,  that 
Jacob  went  near,  and  rolled  the  stone  from  the  well's  mouth,  and 
watered  the  flock  of  Laban  his  mother's  brother.  And  Jacob 
kissed  Rachel,  and  lifted  up  his  voice,  and  wept.  And  Jacob 
told  Rachel  that  he  was  her  father's  brother,  and  that  he  was 
Rebekah's  son:  and  she  ran  and  told  her  father. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Laban  heard  the  tidings  of  Jacob 
his  sister's  son,  that  he  ran  to  meet  him,  and  embraced  him,  and 
kissed  him,  and  brought  hira  to  his  house.  And  he  told  Laban 
all  these  things.  And  Laban  said  to  him,  "  Surely  thou  art  my 
bone  and  my  flesh."  And  he  abode  with  him  the  space  of  a 
month.  And  Laban  said  unto  Jacob,  "  Because  thou  art  my 
brother,  shouldest  thou,  therefore,  serve  me  for  nought?  Tell 
me,  what  shall  thy  wages  be?  " 

And  Laban  had  two  daughters:  the  name  of  the  elder  was 
Leah,  and  the  name  of  th(}  younger  was  Rachel.  And  Leah's 
eyes  were  tender;  but  Rachel  was  beautiful  and  well  favoured. 
And  Jacob  loved  Rachel:  and  he  said,  "  I  will  serve  thee  seven 
years  for  Rachel  thy  younger  daughter."  And  Laban  said, 
"  It  is  better  that  I  give  her  to  thee,  than  that  I  should  give  her 
to  another  man:  abide  with  me." 

And  Jacob  served  seven  years  for  Rachel :  and  they  seemed 
unto  him  but  a  few  days,  for  the  love  he  had  to  her. 

And  Jacob  said  unto  Laban,  "  Give  me  my  wife,  for  my  days 
are  fulfilled,  that  I  may  go  in  unto  her."  And  Laban  gathered 
together  all  the  men  of  the  place,  and  made  a  feast.  And  it 
came  to  pass  in  the  evening,  that  he  took  Leah  his  daughter, 
and  brought  her  to  him;  and  he  went  in  unto  her. 

And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  morning  that,  behold,  it  was  Leah ; 
and  he  said  to  Laban,  "  What  is  this  thou  hast  done  unto  me? 
Did  not  I  serve  with  thee  for  Rachel?    Wherefore  then  hast 


GENESIS  33 

thou  beguiled  me?  "  Aiid  Laban  said,  '*  It  is  not  so  done  in 
our  place,  to  give  the  younger  before  the  firstborn.  Fulfil  the 
week  of  this  one,  and  we  will  give  thee  the  other  also  for  the 
service  which  thou  shalt  serve  with  me  yet  seven  other  years." 
And  Jacob  did  so,  and  fulfilled  her  week.  And  he  went  in  also 
unto  Rachel,  and  he  loved  also  Rachel  more  than  Leah,  and 
served  with  him  yet  seven  other  years. 

And  Yahweh  saw  that  Leah  was  hated,  and  he  opened  her 
womb:  but  Rachel  was  barren.  And  Leah  conceived,  and  bare 
a  son,  and  she  called  his  name  Reuben:  for  she  said,  "  Because 
Yahweh  hath  looked  upon  my  affliction;  for  now  my  husband 
will  love  me."  And  she  conceived  again,  and  bare  a  son;  and 
said,  "  Because  Yahweh  hath  heard  that  I  am  hated,  he  hath 
therefore  given  me  this  son  also";  and  she  called  his  name 
Simeon.  And  she  conceived  again,  and  bare  a  son;  and  said, 
"  Now  this  time  will  my  busband  be  joined  unto  me,  because  I 
have  borne  him  three  sons":  therefore,  was  his  name  called 
Levi.  And  she  conceived  again,  and  bare  a  son:  and  she  said, 
''This  time  will  I  praise  Yahweh":  therefore,  she  called  his 
name  Judah;  and  she  left  bearing. 


And  when  Rachel  saw  that  she  bare  Jacob  no  children,  Rachel 
envied  her  sister;  and  she  said  unto  Jacob,  "  Give  me  children, 
or  else  I  die."  And  Jacob's  anger  was  kindled  against  Rachel: 
and  he  said,  ''  Am  I  in  God's  stead,  who  hath  withheld  from  thee 
the  fruit  of  the  womb?  " 

And  she  said,  ''  Behold  my  maid,  Bilhah,  go  in  unto  her; 
that  she  may  bear  upon  my  knees,  and  I  also  may  obtain  chil- 
dren by  her."  And  Jacob  went  in  unto  her.  And  Bilhah  con- 
ceived, and  bare  Jacob  a  son.  And  Rachel  said,  ''  God  hath 
judged  me,  and  hath  also  heard  my  voice,  and  hath  given  me  a 
son  ":  therefore,  called  she  his  name  Dan.  And  Bilhah  Rachel's 
handmaid  conceived  again,  and  bare  Jacob  a  second  sen.  And 
Rachel  said,  "  With  mighty  wrestlings  have  1  wrestled  with  my 
sister,  and  have  prevailed  ":  and  she  called  his  name  Naphtali. 

When  Leah  saw  that  she  had  left  bearing,  she  took  Zilpah  her 
handmaid,  and  gave  her  to  Jacob  to  wife.  And  Zilpah,  Leah's 
handmaid  bare  Jacob  a  son.    And  Leah  snid,  ''Fortunate," 


34  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

and  she  called  his  name  Gad,  And  Zilpah,  Leah's  handmaid 
bare  Jacob  a  second  son.  And  Leah  said,  ''  Happy  am  I!  For 
the  daughters  will  call  me  happy,"  and  she  called  his  name  Asher. 

And  Reuben  went  in  the  days  of  wheat  harvest,  and  found 
mandrakes  in  the  field  and  brought  them  unto  his  mother  Leah. 
Then  Rachel  said  to  Leah,  "  Give  me,  I  pray  thee,  of  thy  son's 
mandrakes."  And  she  said  unto  her,  "Is  it  a  small  matter 
that  thou  hast  taken  away  my  husband?  And  wouldest  thou 
take  away  my  son's  mandrakes  also?  "  And  Rachel  said, 
"  Therefore  he  shall  lie  with  thee  tonight  for  thy  son's  man- 
drakes." 

And  Jacob  came  from  the  field  in  the  evening,  and  Leah  went 
out  to  meet  him,  and  said,  "  Thou  must  come  in  unto  me;  for 
I  have  surely  hired  thee  with  my  son's  mandrakes?"  And  he 
lay  with  her  that  night.  And  God  hearkened  unto  Leah,  and 
she  conceived,  and  bare  Jacob  a  fifth  son.  And  Leah  said, 
''  God  hath  given  me  my  like,  because  I  gave  my  handmaid 
to  my  husband  " ;  and  she  called  his  name  Issachar.  And  Leah 
conceived  again,  and  bare  a  sixth  son  to  Jacob.  And  Leah 
said,  "  God  hath  endowed  me  wdth  a  good  dowry:  now  will  my 
husband  dwell  with  me,  because  I  have  borne  him  six  sons  ": 
and  she  called  his  name  Zebulun. 

And  God  hearkened  to  Rachel,  and  opened  her  womb.  And 
she  conceived,  and  bare  a  son:  and  said,  "  God  hath  taken  away 
my  reproach  ":  and  she  called  his  name  Joseph,  saying,  ''  Yah- 
weh  add  to  me  another  son." 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Rachel  had  borne  Joseph,  that  Jacob 
said  unto  Laban,  "  Send  me  away,  that  I  may  go  unto  mine 
own  place,  and  to  my  country.  Give  me  my  wives  and  my 
children  for  whom  I  have  served  thee,  and  let  me  go:  for  thou 
knowest  my  service  wherewith  I  have  served  thee." 

And  Laban  said  unto  him,  "  If  now  I  have  found  favour  in 
thine  eyes,  tarry:  for  I  have  divined  that  Yahweh  hath  blessed 
me  for  thy  sake."  And  he  said,  "  Appoint  me  thy  wages,  and 
I  will  give  it." 

And  he  said  unto  him,  "  Thou  knowest  how  I  have  served 
thee,  and  how  thy  cattle  hath  fared  with  me.  For  it  was  little 
which  thou  hadst  before  I  came,  and  it  hath  increased  unto 
n   multitude:    and  Yahweh  hath  blessed   thee  whithersoever 


GENESIS  35 

I  turned:  and  now  when  shall  I  provide  for  mine  owii  house, 
also?" 

And  he  said,  "  What  shall  I  give  thee?  " 

And  Jacob  said,  "  Thou  shalt  not  give  me  aught:  if  thou  wilt 
do  this  thing  for  me,  I  will  again  feed  thy  flock  and  keep  it.  I 
will  pass  through  all  thy  flock  today,  removing  from  thence  every 
speckled  and  spotted  one,  and  every  black  one  among  the  sheep, 
and  the  spotted  and  speckled  among  the  goats ;  and  of  such  shall 
be  my  hire.  So  shall  my  righteousness  answer  for  me  hereafter, 
when  thou  shalt  come  concerning  my  hire  that  is  before  thee 
every  one  that  is  not  speckled  and  spotted  among  the  goats, 
and  black  among  the  sheep,  that  if  found  with  me  shall  be 
counted  stolen." 

And  Laban  said,  "  Behold,  I  would  it  might  be  according  to 
thy  word." 

And  he  removed  that  day  the  he-goats  that  were  ringstraked 
and  spotted,  and  all  the  she-goats  that  were  speckled  and  spotted, 
every  one  that  had  white  in  it,  and  all  the  black  ones  among  the 
sheep,  and  gave  them  into  the  hand  of  his  sons;  and  he  set  three 
days'  journey  betv/ixt  himself  and  Jacob:  and  Jacob  fed  the 
rest  of  Laban's  flocks.  And  Jacob  took  him  rods  of  fresh  poplar, 
and  of  the  almond  and  of  the  plane  tree;  and  peeled  white 
strakes  in  them,  and  made  the  white  appear  which  was  in  the 
rods.  And  he  set  the  rods  which  he  had  peeled  over  against  the 
flocks  in  the  gutters  in  the  watering-troughs  where  the  flocks 
came  to  drink;  and  they  conceived  when  they  came  to  drink. 
And  the  flocks  conceived  before  the  rods,  and  the  flocks  brought 
forth  ringstraked,  speckled,  and  spotted.  And  Jacob  separated 
the  lambs,  and  set  the  faces  of  the  flocks  toward  the  ringstraked 
and  all  the  black  in  the  flock  of  Laban ;  and  he  put  his  own  droves 
apart,  and  put  them  not  unto  Laban's  flock. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  whensoever  the  stronger  of  the  flock 
did  conceive,  that  Jacob  laid  the  rods  before  the  eyes  of  the  flock 
in  the  gutters,  that  they  might  conceive  among  the  rods;  but 
when  the  flock  were  feeble,  he  put  them  not  in:  so  the  feebler 
were  Laban's,  and  the  stronger  Jacob's.  And  the  man  increased 
exceedingly,  and  had  large  flocks,  and  maidservants  and  men- 
servants,  and  camels  and  asses. 


36  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  he  heard  the  words  of  Laban's  sons,  saying,  *'  Jacob  hath 
taken  away  ah  that  was  our  father's;  and  of  that  which  was  our 
father's  hath  he  gotten  all  this  glory."  And  Jacob  beheld  the 
countenance  of  Laban,  and,  behold,  it  was  not  toward  him  as 
beforetime.  And  Yahweh  said  unto  Jacob,  ''  Return  unto 
the  land  of  thy  fathers,  and  to  thy  kindred;  and  I  will  be  with 
thee." 

And  Jacob  sent  and  called  Rachel  and  Leah  to  the  field  unto 
his  flock,  and  said  unto  them,  "  I  see  your  father's  countenance 
that  it  is  not  toward  me  as  beforetime ;  but  the  God  of  my  father 
hath  been  with  me.  And  ye  know  that  with  all  mj^  power  I 
have  served  your  father.  And  your  father  hath  deceived  me, 
and  changed  my  wages  ten  times;  but  God  suffered  him  not  to 
hurt  me.  If  he  said  thus,  '  The  speckled  shall  be  thy  wages,' 
then  all  the  flock  bare  speckled :  and  if  he  said  thus,  '  The  ring- 
straked  shall  be  thy  wages  ' ;  then  bare  all  the  flock  ringstraked . 
Thus  God  hath  taken  away  the  cattle  of  your  father,  and  given 
them  to  me.  And  it  came  to  pass  at  the  time  that  the  flock 
conceived,  that  I  lifted  up  mine  eyes,  and  saw  in  a  dream,  and, 
behold,  the  he-goats  which  leaped  upon  the  flock  were  ring- 
straked, speckled,  and  grisled.  And  the  angel  of  God  said  unto 
me  in  the  dream  —  '  Jacob  ' :  and  I  said, '  Here  am  I.'  And  he 
said,  '  Lift  up  now  thine  eyes,  and  see,  all  the  he-goats  which 
leap  upon  the  flock  are  ringstraked,  speckled,  and  grisled:  for  I 
have  seen  all  that  Laban  doeth  unto  thee.  I  am  the  God  of 
Beth-el,  where  thou  anointedst  a  pillar,  where  thou  vowedst 
a  vow  unto  me :  now  arise,  get  thee  out  from  this  land,  and  return 
unto  the  land  of  thy  nativity.'  " 

And  Rachel  and  Leah  answered  and  said  unto  him,  "  Is  there 
yet  any  portion  of  inheritance  for  us  in  our  father's  house? 
Are  we  not  counted  of  him  strangers?  For  he  hath  sold  us,  and 
hath  also  quite  devoured  our  money.  For  all  the  riches  which 
God  hath  taken  away  from  our  father,  that  is  ours  and  our 
children's:  now  then,  whatsoever  God  hath  said  unto  thee,  do." 

Then  Jacob  rose  up,  and  set  his  sons  and  his  wives  upon  the 
camels;  and  he  carried  away  all  his  cattle.  Now  Laban  was 
gone  to  shear  his  sheep;  and  Rachel  stole  the  teraphim  that 
were  her  father's.  And  Jacob  stole  away  unawares  to  Laban 
the  SjTian,  in  that  he  told  him  not  that  he  fled.     So  he  fled  wath 


GENESIS  37 

all  that  he  had;  and  he  rose  up,  and  passed  over  the  River,  and 
set  his  face  toward  the  mountain  of  Gilead. 

And  it  was  told  Laban  on  the  third  day  that  Jacob  was  fled. 
And  he  took  his  brethren  V\^ith  him,  and  pursued  after  him  seven 
days'  journey;  and  he  overtook  him  in  the  mountain  of  Gilead. 
And  God  came  to  Laban  the  Syrian  in  a  dream  of  the  night,  and 
said  unto  him,  ''  Take  heed  to  thyself  that  thou  speak  not  to 
Jacob  either  good  or  bad."     And  Laban  came  up  with  Jacob. 

Now  Jacob  had  pitched  his  tent  in  the  mountain :  and  Laban 
with  his  brethren  pitched  in  the  mountain  of  Gilead.  And 
Laban  said  to  Jacob,  "  What  hast  thou  done,  that  thou  hast 
stolen  away  unawares  to  me,  and  carried  away  my  daughters 
as  captives  of  the  sword?  Wherefore  didst  thou  flee  secretly, 
and  steal  away  from  me ;  and  didst  not  tell  me,  that  I  might  have 
sent  thee  away  with  mirth  and  with  songs,  with  tabret  and  with 
harp;  and  hast  not  suffered  me  to  kiss  my  sons  and  my  daugh- 
ters? Now  hast  thou  done  foolishly.  It  is  in  the  power  of  my 
hand  to  do  you  hurt :  but  the  God  of  your  father  spake  unto  me 
j^ester night,  saying,  '  Take  heed  to  thyself  that  thou  speak  not 
to  Jacob  either  good  or  bad.'  And  now,  though  thou  wouldest 
needs  be  gone,  because  thou  sore  longedst  after  thy  father's 
house,  yet  wherefore  hast  thou  stolen  my  gods?  " 

And  Jacob  answered  and  said  to  Laban,  "  Because  I  was 
afraid;  for  I  said.  Lest  thou  shouldest  take  thy  daughters  from 
me  by  force.  With  whomsoever  thou  findest  thy  gods,  he  shall 
not  live:  before  our  brethren  discern  thou  what  is  thine  with 
me,  and  take  it  to  thee."  For  Jacob  knew  not  that  Rachel  had 
stolen  them. 

And  Laban  went  into  Jacob's  tent,  and  into  Leah's  tent,  and 
into  the  tent  of  the  two  maidservants;  but  he  found  them  not. 
And  he  went  out  of  Leah's  tent,  and  entered  into  Rachel's  tent. 
Now  Rachel  had  taken  the  teraphim,  and  put  them  in  the  camel's 
furniture,  and  sat  upon  them.  And  Laban  felt  about  all  the 
tent,  but  found  them  not.  And  she  said  to  her  father,  "  Let 
not  my  lord  be  angry  that  I  cannot  rise  up  before  thee :  for  the 
manner  of  women  is  upon  me."  And  he  searched,  but  found  not 
the  teraphim. 

And  Jacob  was  wroth,  and  chode  with  Laban:  and  Jacob 
answered  and  said  to  Laban,  "  What  is  my  trespass?    What  is 


38  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

my  sin,  that  thou  hast  hotly  pursued  after  me?  Whereas  thou 
felt  about  all  mj^  stuff,  what  hast  thou  found  of  all  thy  house- 
hold stuff?  Set  it  here  before  my  brethren  and  thy  brethren, 
that  they  may  judge  betwixt  us  two.  This  twenty  years  have 
I  been  with  thee;  thy  ewes  and  thy  she-goats  have  not  cast  their 
young,  and  the  rams  of  thy  flocks  have  I  not  eaten.  That  which 
was  torn  of  beasts  I  brought  not  unto  thee:  I  bare  the  loss  of  it: 
of  my  hand  didst  thou  require  it,  whether  stolen  by  day  or  stolen 
by  night.  Thus  I  was;  in  the  day  the  drought  consumed  me, 
and  the  frost  by  night;  and  my  sleep  fled  from  mine  eyes. 
These  twenty  years  have  I  been  in  thy  house;  I  served  thee 
fourteen  years  for  thy  two  daughters,  and  six  years  for  thy  flock: 
and  thou  hast  changed  my  wages  ten  times.  Except  the  God  of 
my  father,  the  God  of  Abram,  and  the  Fear  of  Isaac,  had  been 
with  me,  surely  now  hadst  thou  sent  me  away  empty.  God  hath 
seen  mine  affliction,  and  the  labour  of  my  hands,  and  rebuked 
thee  yesternight." 

And  Laban  answered  and  said  unto  Jacob,  "  The  daughters 
are  my  daughters,  and  the  children  are  my  children,  and  the 
flocks  are  my  flocks,  and  all  that  seest  is  mine:  and  what  can  I 
do  this  da}^  unto  these  my  daughters,  or  unto  their  children  which 
they  have  borne?  And  now  come,  let  us  make  a  covenant, 
I  and  thou;  and  let  it  be  for  a  witness  between  me  and  thee." 

And  Jacob  took  a  stone,  and  set  it  up  for  a  pillar.  And  Jacob 
said  unto  his  brethren,  "  Gather  stones  ";  and  they  took  stones, 
and  made  an  heap;  and  they  did  eat  there  by  the  heap.  And 
Laban  called  it  Jegar-sahadutha :  but  Jacob  called  it  Galeed. 
And  Laban  said,  "  This  heap  is  witness  between  me  and  thee 
this  day."  Therefore  was  the  name  of  it  called  Galeed:  and 
Mizpah,  for  he  said,  ^'  Yahweh  watch  between  me  and  thee,  when 
wc  are  absent  one  from  another.  If  thou  shalt  afflict  my  daugh- 
ters, and  if  thou  shalt  take  wives  beside  my  daughters,  no  man 
is  with  us;  see,  God  is  witness  betwixt  me  and  thee." 


And  Jacob  sent  messengers  before  him  to  Esau  his  brother 
unto  the  land  of  Seir,  the  field  of  Edom.  And  he  commanded 
them,  saying,  "Thus  shall  ye  say  unto  my  lord  Esau:  'Thus 
saith  thy  servant  Jacob,  I  have  sojourned  with  Laban,  and  stayed 


GENESIS  39 

until  now:  and  I  have  oxen,  and  asses  and  flocks,  and  menser- 
vants  and  maidservants:  and  I  have  sent  to  tell  my  lord,  that  I 
may  find  grace  in  thy  sight.'  " 

And  the  messengers  returned  to  Jacob,  saying,  "  We  came  to 
thy  brother  Esau,  and  moreover  he  cometh  to  meet  thee,  and 
four  hundred  men  with  him." 

Then  Jacob  was  greatly  afraid  and  was  distressed:  and  he 
divided  the  people  that  was  with  him,  and  the  flocks,  and  the 
herds,  and  the  camels,  into  two  companies;  and  he  said,  "If 
Esau  come  to  the  one  company,  and  smite  it,  then  the  company 
which  is  left  shall  escape." 

And  Jacob  said,  "  0  God  of  my  father  Abram,  and  God  of 
my  father  Isaac,  Yahweh,  which  saidst  unto  me.  Return  unto 
thy  country,  and  to  thy  kindred,  and  I  will  do  thee  good:  I 
am  not  worthy  of  the  least  of  all  the  mercies,  and  of  all  the  truth, 
which  thou  hast  shewed  unto  thy  servant:  for  with  my  staff 
I  passed  over  this  Jordan;  and  now  I  am  become  two  companies. 
Deliver  me,  I  pray  thee,  from  the  hand  of  my  brother,  from  the 
hand  of  Esau:  for  I  fear  him,  lest  he  come  and  smite  me,  the 
mother  with  the  children.  And  thou  saidst,  I  will  surely  do  thee 
good,  and  make  thy  seed  as  the  sand  of  the  sea,  which  cannot  be 
numbered  for  multitude." 

And  he  lodged  there  that  night ;  and  took  of  that  which  he  had 
with  him  a  present  for  Esau  his  brother;  two  hundred  she-goats 
and  twenty  he-goats,  two  hundred  ewes  and  twenty  rams, 
thirty  milch  camels  and  their  colts,  forty  kine  and  ten  bulls, 
twenty  she-asses  and  ten  foals.  And  he  delivered  them  into  the 
hand  of  his  servants,  every  drove  by  itself;  and  said  unto  his 
servants,  "  Pass  over  before  me,  and  put  a  space  betwixt  drove 
and  drove."  And  he  commanded  the  foremost,  saying,  ''  When 
Esau  my  brother  meetest  thee,  and  asketh  thee,  saying,  '  Whose 
art  thou?  And  whither  goest  thou?  And  whose  are  these 
before  thee? '  then  thou  shalt  say,  'They  be  thy  servant  Jacob's; 
it  is  a  present  sent  unto  my  lord  Esau:  and  behold,  he  also  is 
behind  us.'  "  And  he  commanded  also  the  second,  and  the 
third,  and  all  that  followed  the  droves,  saying,  ''  On  this  manner 
shall  ye  speak  unto  Esau,  when  ye  find  him;  and  ye  shall  say; 
*  Moreover,  behold,  thy  servant  Jacob  is  behind  us.'  "  For  he 
said,  "  I  will  appease  him  with  the  present  that  goeth  before  me. 


40  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

and  afterward  I  will  see  his  face;  peradventure  he  will  accept 
me."  So  the  present  passed  over  before  him:  and  he  himself 
lodged  that  night  in  the  company. 

And  he  rose  up  that  night,  and  took  his  two  wives,  and  his 
two  handmaids,  and  his  eleven  children,  and  passed  over  the 
ford  of  Jabbok.  And  he  took  them,  and  sent  them  over  the 
stream,  and  sent  over  that  he  had.  And  Jacob  was  left  alone; 
and  there  wrestled  a  man  with  him  until  the  breaking  of  the 
day.  And  when  he  saw  that  he  prevailed  not  against  him,  he 
touched  the  hollow  of  his  thigh;  and  the  hollow  of  Jacob's 
thigh  was  strained,  as  he  wrestled  with  him. 

And  he  said,  "  Let  me  go,  for  the  day  breaketh."  And  he 
said,  "  I  will  not  let  thee  go,  except  thou  bless  me."  And  he 
said  unto  him,  "  What  is  thy  name?  "  And  he  said,  "  Jacob." 
And  he  said,  "  Thy  name  shall  be  called  no  more  Jacob,  but 
Israel:  for  thou  hast  striven  wath  God  and  with  men,  and  hast 
prevailed."  And  Jacob  asked  him,  and  said,  "  Tell  me,  I  pray 
thee,  thy  name."  And  he  said,  "  Wherefore  is  it  that  thou 
dost  ask  after  my  name?  " 

And  he  blessed  him  there.  And  Jacob  called  the  name  of  the 
place  Peniel;  for,  said  he,  I  have  seen  God  face  to  face,  and  my 
life  is  preserved.  And  the  sun  rose  upon  him  as  he  passed  over 
Penuel,  and  he  halted  upon  his  thigh.  Therefore,  the  children 
of  Israel  eat  not  the  sinew  of  the  hip  which  is  upon  the  hollow 
of  the  thigh,  unto  this  day:  because  he  touched  the  hollow  of 
Jacob's  thigh  in  the  sinew  of  the  hip. 


And  Jacob  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and  looked,  and,  behold,  Esau 
came,  and  with  him  four  hundred  men.  And  he  divided  the 
children  unto  Leah,  and  unto  Rachel,  and  unto  the  two  hand- 
maids. And  he  put  the  handmaids  and  their  children  foremost, 
and  Leah  and  her  children  after,  and  Rachel  and  Joseph  hinder- 
most.  And  he  himself  passed  over  before  them,  and  bowed  him- 
self to  the  ground  seven  times,  until  he  came  near  to  his  brother. 

And  Esau  ran  to  meet  him,  and  embraced  him,  and  fell  on  his 
neck,  and  kissed  him;  and  they  wept.  And  he  lifted  up  his 
eyes,  and  saw  the  women  and  the  children;  and  said,  "  Who  are 
these  with  thee?  "    And  he  said,  ''  The  children  which  God  hath 


GENESIS  41 

graciously  given  thy  servant."  Then  the  handmaids  came  near 
they  and  their  children,  and  they  bowed  themselves.  And 
Leah  also  and  her  children  came  near,  and  bowed  themselves: 
and  after  came  Joseph  near  and  Eachel,  and  they  bowed  them- 
selves. And  he  said,  "  What  meanest  thou  by  all  this  company 
which  I  m^et?  "  And  he  said,  "  To  find  grace  in  the  sight  of  my 
lord."  And  Esau  said,  "  I  have  enough;  my  brother,  let  that 
thou  hast  be  thine."  And  Jacob  said,  "  Nay,  I  pray  thee,  if  now 
I  have  found  grace  in  thy  sight,  then  receive  my  present  at  my 
hand;  forasmuch  as  I  have  seen  thy  face,  as  one  seeth  the  face 
of  God,  and  thou  wast  pleased  with  me.  Take,  I  pray  thee,  my 
gift  that  is  brought  to  thee;  because  God  hath  dealt  graciously 
with  me,  and  because  I  have  enough." 

And  he  urged  him,  and  he  took  it.  And  he  said,  "  Let  us  take 
our  journey,  and  let  us  go,  and  I  will  go  before  thee."  And  he 
said  unto  him,  '^  My  lord  knoweth  that  the  children  are  tender 
and  that  the  flocks  and  herds  with  me  give  suck:  and  if  they 
overdrive  them  one  day,  all  the  flocks  w411  die.  Let  my  lord,  I 
pray  thee,  pass  over  before  his  servant :  and  I  will  lead  on  softly, 
according  to  the  pace  of  the  cattle  that  is  before  me  and  according 
to  the  pace  of  the  children,  until  I  come  unto  my  lord  unto 
Seir."  And  Esau  said,  "  Let  me  now  leave  with  thee  some  of  the 
folk  that  are  with  me."  And  he  said,  ''  What  needeth  it?  Let 
me  find  grace  in  the  sight  of  my  Lord."  So  Esau  returned  that 
day  on  his  way  unto  Seir.  And  Jacob  journeyed  to  Succoth, 
and  built  him  an  house,  and  made  booths  for  his  cattle:  there- 
fore the  name  of  the  place  is  called  Succoth. 


And  they  journeyed  from  Beth-el;  and  there  was  still  some 
way  to  come  to  Ephrath:  and  Rachel  travailed,  and  she  had 
hard  labour.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  she  was  in  hard  labour, 
that  the  midwife  said  unto  her,  "  Fear  not;  for  now  thou  shalt 
have  another  son."  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  her  soul  was  in 
departing  (for  she  died),  that  she  called  his  name  Be-noni;  but 
his  father  called  him  Benjamin.  And  Rachel  died  and  was 
buried  in  the  way  to  Ephrath  (the  name  is  Beth-lehem).  And 
Jacob  set  up  a  pillar  upon  her  grave:  the  same  is  the  Pillar  of 
Rachel's  grave  unto  this  day. 


42  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  Israel  journeyed,  and  spread  his  tent  beyond  the  tower  of 
Eder.  And  it  came  to  pass,  while  Israel  dwelt  in  that  land,  that 
Reuben  went  and  lay  with  Bilhah  his  father's  concubine:  and 
Israel  heard  of  it. 

xVnd  theise  are  the  kings  that  reigned  in  the  land  of  Edom, 
before  there  reigned  any  king  over  the  children  of  Israel.  And 
Bela  the  son  of  Beor  reigned  in  Edom ;  and  the  name  of  his  city 
was  Dinhabah.  And  Bela  died,  and  Jobab  the  son  of  Zerah  of 
Bozrah  reigned  in  his  stead.  And  Jobab  died,  and  Husham  of 
the  land  of  the  Temnaties  reigned  in  his  stead.  And  Husham 
died,  and  Hadad  the  son  of  Bedad,  who  smote  Midian  in  the 
field  of  Moab,  reigned  in  his  stead :  and  the  name  of  his  city  was 
Avith.  And  Hadad  died,  and  Samlah  of  Masrekah  reigned  in 
his  stead.  And  Samlah  died,  and  Shaul  of  Rehoboth  by  the 
River  reigned  in  his  stead.  And  Shaul  died,  and  Baal-hanan 
the  son  of  Achbor  reigned  in  his  stead.  And  Baal-hanan  the 
son  of  Achbor  died,  and  Hadar  reigned  in  his  stead:  and  the 
name  of  his  city  v/as  Pau;  and  his  wife's  name  was  Mehetabel, 
the  daughter  of  Matred,  the  daughter  of  Me-zahab. 

The  Story  of  Joseph 

Joseph,  being  seventeen  years  old,  was  feeding  the  flock  with 
his  brethren;  and  he  was  a  lad  with  the  sous  of  Bilhah,  and  wth 
the  sons  of  Zilpah,  his  father's  wives:  and  Joseph  brought  the 
evil  report  of  them  unto  their  father.  Now  Israel  loved  Joseph 
more  than  all  his  children,  because  he  was  the  son  of  his  old  age: 
and  he  made  him  a  coat  of  many  colors.  And  his  brethren  saw 
that  their  father  loved  him  more  than  all  his  brethren;  and  they 
hated  him,  and  could  not  speak  peaceably  unto  him. 

And  his  brethren  went  to  feed  their  father's  flock  in  Shechem. 
And  Israel  said  unto  Joseph,  "  Do  not  thy  brethren  feed  the 
flock  in  Shechem?  Come,  and  I  will  send  thee  unto  them." 
So  he  sent  him  out  of  the  vale  of  Hebron,  and  he  came  to 
Shechem. 

And  before  he  came  near  unto  them,  they  conspired  against 
him  to  slaj'  him.  And  Reuben  heard  it,  and  delivered  him  out 
of  their  hand;  and  said,  "  Let  us  not  take  his  life." 


GENESIS  43 

And  they  lifted  up  their  eyes  and  looked,  and,  behold,  a  travel- 
ing company  of  Ishmaelites  came  from  Gilead,  with  their  camels 
bearing  spicery  and  balm  and  myrrh,  going  to  carry  it  down  to 
Egypt.  And  Judah  said  unto  his  brethren,  "  What  profit  is  it  if 
we  slay  our  brother  and  conceal  his  blood?  Come,  and  let  us 
sell  him  to  the  Ishmaelites,  and  let  not  our  hand  be  upon  him; 
for  he  is  our  brother,  our  flesh." 

And  his  brethren  hearkened  unto  hun  and  sold  Joseph  to  the 
Ishmaelites  for  twenty  pieces  of  silver. 

And  they  sent  the  coat  of  many  colours;  and  their  father  said, 
"  Joseph  is  without  doubt  torn  in  pieces."  And  all  his  sons  ancl 
all  his  daughters  rose  up  to  comfort  him;  but  he  refused  to  be 
comforted;  and  he  said,  "  For  I  will  go  down  to  the  grave  to  my 
son  mourning."    And  his  father  wept  for  him. 


And  it  came  to  pass  at  that  time,  that  Judah  went  down  from 
his  brethren,  and  turned  in  to  a  certain  AduUamite,  whose  name 
was  Hirah.  And  Judah  saw  there  a  daughter  of  a  certain  Ca- 
naanite  whose  name  was  Shua;  and  he  took  her,  and  went  in 
unto  her.  And  she  conceived,  and  bare  a  son;  and  he  called 
his  name  Er.  And  she  conceived  again,  and  bare  a  son;  and 
she  called  his  name  Onan.  And  she  yet  again  bare  a  son,  and 
called  his  name  Shelah:  and  he  was  at  Chezib,  when  she  bare 
him.  And  Judah  took  a  wife  for  Er  his  firstborn,  and  her  name 
was  Tamar. 

And  Er,  Judah's  firstborn,  was  wicked  in  the  sight  of  Yahweh; 
and  Yahweh  slew  him.  And  Judah  said  unto  Onan,  "  Go  in 
unto  thy  brother's  wife,  and  perform  the  duty  of  an  husband's 
brother  unto  her,  and  raise  up  seed  to  thy  brother."  And  Onan 
knew  that  the  seed  should  not  be  his;  and  it  came  to  pass, 
when  he  went  in  unto  his  brother's  wife,  that  he  spilled  it  on  the 
ground,  lest  he  should  give  seed  to  his  brother.  And  the  thing 
which  he  did  was  evil  in  the  sight  of  Yahweh:  and  he  slew  him 
also. 

Then  said  Judah  to  Tamar  his  daughter-in-law,  **  Remain  a 
widow  in  thy  father's  house,  till  Shelah  my  son  be  grown  up: 
for,"  he  said,  "  Lest  he  also  die,  like  his  brethren."  And  Tamar 
went  and  dwelt  in  her  father's  house. 


44  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  in  process  of  time  Shua's  daughter,  the  wife  of  Judah, 
died;  and  Judah  was  comforted,  and  went  up  unto  his  sheep- 
shearers  to  Timnah,  he  and  his  friend  Hirah  the  Adullamite. 
And  it  was  told  Tamar,  saying,  "  Behold,  thy  father-in-law 
goeth  up  to  Timnah  to  shear  his  sheep." 

And  she  put  off  from  her  the  garments  of  her  widowhood,  and 
covered  herself  with  her  veil,  and  wrapped  herself,  and  sat  in 
the  gate  of  Enaim,  which  is  by  the  way  to  Timnah;  for  she  saw 
that  Shelah  was  grown  up,  and  she  was  not  given  unto  him  to 
wife.  When  Judah  saw  her,  he  thought  her  to  be  an  harlot; 
for  she  had  covered  her  face.  And  he  turned  unto  her  by  the 
way,  and  said,  "  Go  to,  I  pray  thee,  let  me  come  in  unto  thee  ": 
for  he  knew  not  that  she  was  his  daughter-in-law.  And  she 
said,  ''  What  wilt  thou  give  me,  that  thou  mayest  come  in  unto 
me?  "  And  he  said,  "  I  will  send  thee  a  kid  of  the  goats  from 
the  flock."  And  she  said,  "  Wilt  thou  give  me  a  pledge,  till 
thou  send  it?  "  And  he  said,  "  Wliat  pledge  shall  I  give  thee?  " 
And  she  said,  "  Thy  signet  and  thy  cord,  and  thy  staff  that  is  in 
thine  hand."  And  he  gave  them  to  her,  and  came  in  unto  her, 
and  she  conceived  by  him. 

And  she  arose,  and  went  away,  and  put  off  her  veil  from  her, 
and  put  on  the  garments  of  her  widowhood.  And  Judah  sent 
the  kid  of  the  goats  by  the  hand  of  his  friend  the  Adullamite, 
to  receive  the  pledge  from  the  woman's  hand;  but  he  found  her 
not.  Then  he  asked  the  men  of  her  place,  saying,  "  Where  is 
the  harlot,  that  was  at  Enaim  by  the  way  side?  "  And  they 
said,  "  There  hath  been  no  harlot  here."  And  he  returned  to 
Judah,  and  said,  "  I  have  not  found  her  ";  and  also  the  men  of 
the  place  said,  "  There  hath  been  no  harlot  here."  And  Judah 
said,  "  Let  her  take  it  to  her,  lest  we  be  put  to  shame:  behold,  I 
sent  this  kid,  and  thou  hast  not  found  her." 

And  it  came  to  pass  about  three  months  after,  that  it  was  told 
Judah,  saying,  "  Tamar  thy  daughter-in-law  hath  played  the 
harlot;  and  moreover,  behold,  she  is  with  child  by  whoredom." 
And  Judah  said,  "  Bring  her  forth,  and  let  her  be  burnt." 

When  she  was  brought  forth,  she  sent  to  her  father-in-law, 
saying,  "  By  the  man,  whose  these  are,  am  I  with  child  ":  and 
she  said,  "  Discern,  I  pray  thee,  whose  are  these,  the  signet,  and 
the  cords,  and  the  staff."    And  Judah  acknowledged  them,  and 


GENESIS  45 

said,  "  She  is  more  righteous  than  I;  forasmuch  as  I  gave  her 
not  to  Shelah  my  son."     And  he  knew  her  again  no  more. 

And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  time  of  her  travail,  that,  l:)ehold, 
twins  were  in  her  womb.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  she  tra- 
vailed, that  one  put  out  a  hand :  and  the  midwife  took  and  bound 
upon  his  hand  a  scarlet  thread,  saying,  "  This  came  out  first." 
And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  drew  back  his  hand,  that,  behold, 
his  brother  came  out:  and  she  said,  "  Wherefore  hast  thou  made 
a  breach  for  thyself?  "  Therefore,  his  name  was  called  Perez. 
And  afterward  came  out  his  brother,  that  had  the  scarlet  thread 
upon  his  hand,  and  his  name  was  called  Zerah. 


And  Joseph  was  brouglit  down  to  Egypt;  an  Egyptian 
l:)OUght  him  of  the  hand  of  the  Ishmaelites,  which  had  brought 
him  down  thither.  And  Yahweh  was  with  Joseph,  and  he  was  a 
prosperous  man;  and  he  was  in  the  house  of  his  master  the 
Egyptian.  And  his  master  saw  that  Yahweh  was  with  him,  and 
that  Yahv/eh  made  all  that  he  did  to  prosper  in  his  hand.  And 
Joseph  found  grace  in  his  sight,  and  he  ministered  unto  him: 
and  he  made  him  overseer  over  his  house,  and  all  that  he  had  he 
put  into  his  hand.  And  it  came  to  pass  from  the  time  that  he 
made  him  overseer  in  his  house,  and  over  all  that  he  had,  that 
Yahweh  blessed  the  Egyptian's  house  for  Joseph's  sake;  and  the 
blessing  of  Yahweh  was  upon  all  that  he  had,  in  the  house  and 
in  the  field.  And  he  left  all  that  he  had  in  Joseph's  hand;  and 
he  knew  not  aught  that  was  with  him,  save  the  bread  which  he 
did  eat. 

And  Joseph  was  comely,  and  v/ell  favoured.  And  it  came  to 
pass  after  these  things,  that  his  master's  wife  cast  her  eyes  upon 
Joseph;  and  she  said,  "  Lie  with  me."  But  he  refused,  and  said 
unto  his  master's  wife,  ''  Behold,  my  master  knoweth  not  what 
is  with  me  in  the  house,  and  he  hath  put  all  that  he  hath  into 
my  hand;  there  is  none  greater  in  this  house  than  I;  neither 
hath  he  kept  back  anj^thing  from  me  but  thee,  because  thou  art 
his  wife :  how  then  can  I  do  this  great  wickedness,  and  sin  against 
God?  "  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  she  spake  to  Joseph  day  by 
day,  that  he  hearkened  not  unto  her,  to  lie  by  her  or  to  be  with 
her.     And  it  came  to  pass  about  this  time,  that  he  went  into 


46  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

the  house  to  do  his  work;  and  there  was  none  of  the  men  of  the 
house  there  within.  And  she  caught  him  by  his  garment,  say- 
ing, "  Lie  with  me  ";  and  he  left  his  garment  in  her  hand,  and 
fled,  and  got  him  out. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  she  saw  that  he  had  left  his  garment 
in  her  hand,  and  was  fled  forth,  that  she  called  unto  the  men  of 
her  house,  and  spake  unto  them,  saying,  "  See,  he  hath  brought 
in  an  Hebrew  unto  us  to  mock  us ;  he  came  in  unto  me  to  lie  with 
me,  and  I  cried  with  a  loud  voice :  and  it  came  to  pass,  when  he 
heard  that  I  lifted  up  my  voice  and  cried,  that  he  left  his  gar- 
ment by  me,  and  fled,  and  got  him  out." 

And  she  laid  up  his  garment  by  her,  until  his  master  came 
home.  And  she  spake  unto  him  according  to  these  words,  say- 
ing, "  The  Hebrew  servant,  which  thou  hast  brought  unto  us, 
came  in  unto  me  to  mock  me:  and  it  came  to  pass,  as  I  lifted  up 
my  voice  and  cried,  that  he  left  his  garment  by  me,  and  fled 
out."  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  his  master  heard  the  words  of 
his  wife,  which  spake  unto  hun,  sajdng,  "  After  this  manner  did 
thy  servant  to  me  ";  that  his  wrath  was  kindled. 

And  Joseph's  master  took  him,  and  put  him  into  the  prison, 
the  place  where  the  king's  prisoners  were  bound;  and  he  was 
there  in  the  prison.  But  Yahweh  was  with  Joseph,  and  shewed 
kindness  unto  him,  and  gave  him  favour  in  the  sight  of  the 
keeper  of  the  prison.  And  the  keeper  of  the  prison  committed 
to  Joseph's  hand  all  the  prisoners  that  were  in  the  prison;  and 
whatsoever  they  did  there,  he  was  the  doer  of  it.  The  keeper  of 
the  prison  looked  not  to  anything  that  was  under  his  hand,  be- 
cause Yahweh  was  with  him;  and  that  which  he  did,  Yahweh 
made  it  to  prosper. 


Now,  therefore,  let  Pharaoh  look  out  a  man  discreet  and  wise, 
and  set  him  over  the  land  of  Egypt.  Let  Pharaoh  do  this,  and 
let  him  appoint  overseers  over  the  land,  and  take  up  the  fifth 
part  of  the  land  of  Egypt  in  the  seven  plenteous  years.  And 
let  them  gather  all  the  food  of  these  good  years  that  come,  and 
lay  up  corn  under  the  hand  of  Pharaoh  for  food  in  the  cities,  and 
let  them  keep  it.  And  the  food  shall  be  for  a  store  to  the  land 
against  the  seven  years  of  famine,  which  shall  be  in  the  land  of 


GENESIS  47 

Egypt;  that  the  land  perish  not  through  the  famine.  And  the 
thing  was  good  in  the  eyes  of  Pharaoh,  and  in  the  eyes  of  all  his 
servants.  And  Pharaoh  said  unto  Joseph,  "  See,  I  have  set 
thee  over  all  the  land  of  Egypt." 

And  Pharaoh  took  off  his  signet  ring  from  his  hand,  and  put  it 
upon  Joseph's  hand,  and  arrayed  him  in  vestures  of  fine  linen, 
and  put  a  gold  chain  about  his  neck;  and  he  made  him  to  ride 
in  the  second  chariot  which  he  had;  and  they  cried  before  him, 
''  Bow  the  knee  ";  and  he  set  him  over  all  the  land  of  Egypt. 
And  Pharaoh  said  unto  Joseph,  "  I  am  Pharaoh,  and  without 
thee  shall  no  man  lift  up  his  hand  or  his  foot  in  all  the  land  of 
Egypt."  And  Pharaoh  called  Joseph's  name  Zaphenath- 
paneah;  and  he  gave  him  to  wife  Asenath  the  daughter  of  Poti- 
phera,  priest  of  On.  And  Joseph  went  out  over  the  land  of 
Egypt. 

And  in  the  seven  plenteous  years  the  earth  brought  forth  by 
handfuls.  And  he  gathered  up  all  the  food  of  the  seven  years 
which  were  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  laid  up  the  food  in  the 
cities:  the  food  of  the  field,  which  was  round  about  every  city 
laid  he  up  in  the  same.  And  Joseph  laid  up  corn  as  the  sand  of 
of  the  sea,  very  much,  until  he  left  numbering;  for  it  was  mth- 
out  number. 

And  the  seven  years  of  plenty,  that  was  in  the  land  of  Egypt 
came  to  an  end.  And  the  seven  years  of  famine  began  to  come, 
according  as  Joseph  had  said:  and  there  was  famine  in  all  lands; 
but  in  all  the  land  of  Egypt  there  was  bread.  And  when  all  the 
land  of  Egypt  was  famished,  the  people  cried  to  Pharaoh  for 
bread;  and  Pharaoh  said  unto  all  the  Egyptians,  "Go  unto 
Joseph;  what  he  saith  to  you,  do."  And  the  famine  was  over 
all  the  face  of  the  earth :  and  Joseph  opened  all  the  storehouses, 
and  sold  unto  the  Egyptians;  and  the  famine  was  sore  in  the 
land  of  Egypt.  And  all  countries  came  into  Egypt  to  Joseph 
for  to  buy  corn;  because  the  famine  was  sore  in  all  the  earth. 


Now  Jacob  saw  that  there  was  corn  in  Egypt,  and  Jacob  said 
unto  his  sons,  "  Why  do  ye  look  one  upon  another?  "  And  he 
said,  "  Behold,  I  have  heard  that  there  is  corn  in  Egypt;  get 
you  down  thither,  and  buy  for  us  from  thence;  that  we  may  live, 


48  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

and  not  die."  And  Joseph's  ten  brethren  went  down  to  buy 
corn  from  Egypt.  But  Benjamin,  Joseph's  brother,  Jacob  sent 
not  with  his  brethren;  for  he  said,  "  Lest  perad venture  mischief 
befall  him." 

And  the  sons  of  Israel  came  to  hny  among  those  that  came: 
for  the  famine  was  in  the  land  of  Canaan.  And  Joseph  was  the 
governor  over  the  land;  he  it  was  that  sold  to  all  the  people  of 
the  land:  and  Joseph's  brethren  came,  and  bowed  down  them- 
selves to  him  with  their  faces  to  the  earth.  And  Joseph  saw  his 
brethren,  and  he  knew  them,  but  made  himself  strange  unto  them 
and  spake  roughly  with  them;  and  he  said  unto  them,  "  Whence 
come  ye?  "  And  they  said,  "  From  the  land  of  Canaan  to  buy 
food." 

And  as  one  of  them  opened  his  sack  to  give  his  ass  provender 
in  the  lodging  place,  he  espied  his  money;  and,  behold,  it  was  in 
the  mouth  of  his  sack.  And  he  said  unto  his  brethren,  "  My 
money  is  restored;  and,  lo,  it  is  even  in  my  sack  ";  and  their 
heart  failed  them,  and  they  turned  tremljling  one  to  another. 

And  he  said,  "  My  son  shall  not  go  down  with  you;  for  his 
brother  is  dead,  and  he  only  is  left:  if  mischief  befall  him  by  the 
way  in  the  which  ye  go,  then  shall  ye  bring  down  my  gray  hairs 
with  sorrow  to  the  grave." 

And  the  famine  was  sore  in  the  land.  And  it  came  to  pass, 
when  they  had  eaten  up  the  corn,  which  they  had  brought  out  of 
Egypt,  their  father  said  unto  them,  "  Go  again,  buy  us  a  little 
food."  And  Judah  spake  unto  him,  saying,  '*  The  man  did 
solemnly  protest  unto  us,  sajdng,  '  Ye  shall  not  see  my  face, 
except  your  brother  be  with  you.'  If  thou  \nlt  send  our  brother 
with  us,  we  will  go  dov/n  and  buy  thee  food :  but  if  thou  wilt  not 
send  him,  we  will  not  go  down:  for  the  man  said  unto  us,  '  Ye 
shall  not  see  my  face,  except  j^our  brother  be  with  you.'  " 

And  Israel  said,  ''  Wherefore  dealt  ye  so  ill  with  me,  as  to  tell 
the  man  whether  ye  had  yet  a  brother?  "  And  they  said,  "  The 
man  asked  straitly  concerning  ourselves,  and  concerning  our 
kindred,  saying,  '  Is  your  father  yet  alive?  Have  ye  another 
brother?  '  And  we  told  him  according  to  the  tenor  of  these 
words :  could  we  in  any  wise  know  that  he  would  say,  '  Bring 
your  brother  down?  '  "  And  Judah  said  unto  Israel  his  father, 
"  Send  the  lad  with  me,  and  we  will  arise  and  go;  that  we  may 


GENESIS  49 

live,  and  not  die,  both  we,  and  thou,  and  also  our  little  ones. 
I  will  be  surety  for  him;  of  my  hand  shalt  thou  require  him: 
if  I  bring  him  not  unto  thee,  and  set  him  before  thee,  then  let  me 
bear  the  blame  forever:  for  except  we  had  lingered,  surely  we 
had  now  returned  a  second  time." 

And  their  father  Israel  said  unto  them,  "  If  it  be  so  now,  do 
this;  take  of  the  choice  fruits  of  the  land  in  your  vessels,  and 
carry  down  the  man  a  present,  a  little  balm,  and  a  little  honey, 
spicery  and  myi'rh,  nuts,  and  almonds:  and  take  double  money 
in  3^our  hand ;  and  the  money  that  was  returned  in  the  mouth  of 
your  sacks  carry  again  in  your  hand;  perad venture  it  was  an 
oversight;  take  also  your  brother,  and  arise,  go  again  unto  the 
man." 

And  the  men  took  that  present,  and  they  took  double  money  in 
their  hand,  and  Benjamin ;  and  rose  up,  and  went  down  to  Egypt, 
and  stood  before  Joseph.  And  when  Joseph  saw  Benjamin  with 
them,  he  said  to  the  steward  of  his  house,  ''  Bring  the  men  into 
the  house,  and  slay,  and  make  ready;  for  the  men  shall  dine  with 
me  at  noon."  And  the  man  did  as  Joseph  bade;  and  the  man 
brought  the  men  into  Joseph's  house. 

And  the  men  w^re  afraid,  because  they  were  brought  into 
Joseph's  house;  and  they  said,  ''  Because  of  the  money  that  was 
returned  in  our  sacks  at  the  first  time  are  we  brought  in;  that 
he  may  seek  occasion  against  us,  and  fall  upon  us,  and  take  us 
for  bondmen,  and  our  asses."  And  they  came  near  to  the 
steward  of  Joseph's  house,  and  they  spake  unto  him  at  the  door 
of  the  house,  and  said,  ''Oh,  my  lord,  we  came  indeed  dow'n  at  the 
first  time  to  buy  food :  and  it  came  to  pass,  when  we  came  to  the 
lodging  place,  that  we  opened  our  sacks,  and,  behold,  every 
man's  money  was  in  the  mouth  of  his  sack,  our  money  in  full 
weight:  and  we  have  brought  it  again  in  our  hand.  And  other 
money  have  we  brought  down  in  our  hand  to  buy  food :  we  know 
not  who  put  our  money  in  our  sacks."  And  he  said,  "  Peace 
be  to  you,  fear  not:  your  God,  and  the  God  of  your  father,  hath 
given  you  treasure  in  your  sacks:  I  had  your  mone3\" 

And  the  man  brought  the  men  into  Joseph's  house,  and  gave 
them  water,  and  they  washed  their  feet ;  and  he  gave  their  asses 
provender.  And  they  made  ready  the  present  against  Joseph 
came  at  noon:  for  they  heard  that  they  should  eat  bread  there. 


50  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  when  Joseph  came  home,  they  brought  him  the  present 
which  was  in  their  hand  into  the  house,  and  bowed  down  them- 
selves to  him  to  the  earth.  And  he  asked  them  of  their  welfare, 
and  said,  "  Is  your  father  well,  the  old  man  of  whom  ye  spake? 
Is  he  j^et  alive?  "  And  they  said,  "  Thy  servant  our  father  is 
well,  he  is  yet  alive."  And  they  bowed  the  head,  and  made 
obeisance.  And  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and  saw  Benjamin  his 
brother,  his  mother's  son,  and  said,  "  Is  this  j^our  youngest 
brother,  of  whom  ye  spake  unto  me?  "  And  he  said,  "  God  be 
gracious  unto  thee,  my  son." 

And  Joseph  m.ade  haste;  for  his  bov/els  did  yearn  upon  his 
brother :  and  he  sought  where  to  weep ;  and  he  entered  into  his 
chamber,  and  wept  there.  And  he  washed  his  face,  and  came 
out;  and  he  refrained  himself,  and  said,  "  Set  on  bread."  And 
they  set  on  for  him  by  himseh,  and  for  them  by  themselves,  and 
for  the  Egyptians,  which  did  eat  with  him,  by  themselves;  be- 
cause the  Egyptians  might  not  eat  bread  with  the  Hebrews; 
for  that  is  an  abomination  unto  the  Egyptians.  And  they  sat 
before  him,  the  firstborn  according  to  his  birthright,  and  the 
youngest  according  to  his  j^outli:  and  the  men  marvelled  one 
with  another.  And  he  took  and  sent  messes  unto  them  from  be- 
fore him:  but  Benjamin's  mess  was  five  times  so  much  as  any  of 
theirs.     And  they  drank,  and  were  merry  with  him. 


And  lie  commanded  tlie  steward  of  his  house,  saj'ing,  "  Fill 
the  men's  sacks  with  food,  as  much  as  thej^  can  carry,  and  put 
every  man's  money  in  his  sack's  mouth.  And  put  my  cup,  the 
silver  cup,  in  the  sack's  mouth  of  the  j^oungest,  and  his  corn 
monej^"  And  he  did  according  to  the  word  that  Joseph  had 
spoken. 

As  soon  as  the  morning  was  light,  the  men  were  sent  away,  they 
and  their  asses.  And  when  they  were  gone  out  of  the  city,  and 
were  not  j^et  far  off,  Joseph  said  unto  his  steward,  ''  Up,  foUow 
after  the  men;  and  when  thou  dost  overtake  them,  say  unto 
them,  '  AMierefore  have  ye  rewarded  evil  for  good?  Is  not  this 
it  in  which  mj-  lord  drinketh,  and  whereby  he  indeed  divineth? 
Ye  have  done  e\dl  in  so  doing.'  "  And  he  overtook  them,  and 
he  spake  unto  them  these  words. 


GENESIS  61 

And  they  said  unto  him,  "  Wherefore  speaketh  my  lord  such 
words  as  these?  God  forbid  that  thy  servants  should  do  such  a 
thing.  Behold,  the  money,  which  we  found  in  our  sacks'  mouths, 
we  brought  again  unto  thee  out  of  the  land  of  Canaan :  how  then 
should  we  steal  out  of  thj''  lord's  house  silver  or  gold?  With 
whomsoever  of  th}^  servants  it  be  found,  let  him  die,  and  we 
also  will  be  my  lord's  bondmen."  And  he  said,  "  Now  also 
let  it  be  according  unto  your  vrords :  he  with  whom  it  is  found 
shall  be  my  bondman;  and  ye  shall  be  blameless." 

Then  they  hasted,  and  took  do'^m  every  man  his  sack  to  the 
ground,  and  opened  every  man  his  sack.  And  he  searched,  and 
began  at  the  eldest,  and  left  at  the  youngest:  and  the  cup  was 
found  in  Benjamin's  sack.  Then  they  rent  their  clothes,  and 
laded  every  man  his  ass,  and  returned  to  the  city.  And  Judah 
and  his  brethren  came  to  Joseph's  house;  and  he  was  yet  there 
and  they  fell  before  him  on  the  ground. 

And  Joseph  said  unto  them,  "  What  deed  is  this  that  ye  have 
done?  Know  ye  not  that  such  a  man  as  I  can  indeed  divine?  " 
And  Judah  said,  "  What  shall  we  say  unto  my  lord?  What 
shall  we  speak?  Or  how  shall  we  clear  ourselves?  God  hath 
found  out  the  iniquity  of  thy  servants:  behold,  we  are  my  lord's 
bondmen,  both  we,  and  he  also  in  whose  hand  the  cup  is  found." 
And  he  said,  ''  God  forbid  that  I  should  do  so :  the  man  in  whose 
hand  the  cup  is  found,  he  shall  be  my  bondman;  but  as  for  you, 
get  you  up  in  peace  unto  your  father." 

Then  Judah  came  near  unto  him,  and  said,  "  Oh  my  lord,  let 
thy  servant,  I  pray  thee,  speak  a  word  in  my  lord's  ears,  and  let 
not  thine  anger  burn  against  thy  servant:  for  thou  art  even  as 
Pharaoh.  My  lord  asked  his  servants,  saying,  '  Have  ye  a 
father,  or  a  brother?  '  And  we  said  unto  my  lord,  '  We  have  a 
father,  an  old  man,  and  a  child  of  his  old  age,  a  little  one;  and 
his  brother  is  dead,  and  he  alone  is  left  of  his  mother,  and  his 
father  loveth  him.'  And  thou  saidst  unto  thy  servants,  '  Bring 
him  dowm  unto  me,  that  I  may  set  mine  eyes  upon  him.'  And  we 
said  unto  my  lord,  *  The  lad  cannot  leave  his  father:  for  if  he 
should  leave  his  father,  the  father  would  die.'  And  thou  saidst 
unto  thy  servants,  '  Except  your  youngest  brother  come  down 
with  you,  ye  shall  see  my  face  no  more.'  And  it  came  to  pass 
when  we  came  up  unto  thy  servant  my  father,  we  told  him  the 


52  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

words  of  my  lord.  And  our  father  said,  '  Go  again,  buy  us  a 
little  food.'  And  we  said,  '  We  cannot  go  down:  if  our  youngest 
brother  be  with  us,  then  will  we  go  down:  for  we  may  not  see 
the  man's  face,  except  our  youngest  brother  be  with  us.'  And 
thy  servant  my  father  said  unto  us,  '  Ye  know  that  my  wife 
bare  me  two  sons:  and  the  one  went  out  from  me,  and  I  said, 
"  Surely  he  is  torn  in  pieces  ";  and  I  have  not  seen  him  since: 
and  if  ye  take  this  one  also  from  me,  and  mischief  befall  him,  ye 
shall  bring  down  my  gray  hairs  with  sorrow  to  the  grave.'  Now, 
therefore,  when  I  come  to  thy  servant  my  father,  and  the  lad  be 
not  with  us;  seeing  that  his  life  is  bound  up  in  the  lad's  life; 
it  shall  come  to  pass,  when  he  seeth  that  the  lad  is  not  with  us, 
that  he  will  die :  and  thy  servants  shall  bring  down  the  gray  hairs 
of  thy  servant  our  father  with  sorrow  to  the  grave.  For  thy 
servant  became  surety  for  the  lad  unto  my  father,  saying,  '  If 
I  bring  him  not  unto  thee,  then  shall  I  bear  the  blame  to  my 
father  for  ever.'  Now,  therefore,  let  tliy  servant,  I  pray  thee, 
abide  instead  of  the  lad  a  bondman  to  my  lord;  and  let  the  lad 
go  up  with  his  brethren.  For  how  shall  I  go  up  to  my  father, 
and  the  lad  be  not  with  me?  Lest  I  see  the  evil  that  shall  come 
on  my  father." 


Then  Joseph  could  not  refrain  himself  before  all  them  that 
stood  by  him;  and  he  cried,  ''  Cause  every  man  to  go  out  from 
me."  And  there  stood  no  man  with  him,  while  Joseph  made 
himself  known  unto  his  brethren.  And  he  wept  aloud:  and  the 
Egyptians  heard,  and  the  house  of  Pharaoh  lieard.  And  Joseph 
said  unto  his  brethren,  ^'  I  am  Joseph;  doth  my  father  yet 
live?  "  And  his  brethren  could  not  answer  him;  for  thej^  were 
troubled  at  his  presence.  And  Joseph  said  unto  his  brethren, 
"  Come  near  to  me,  I  pray  you."  And  they  came  near.  And 
he  said,  "  I  am  Joseph  your  brother,  whom  ye  sold  into  Egypt. 
And  now  be  not  grieved,  nor  angrj^  with  j^ourselves,  that  3''e  sold 
me  hither:  for  God  did  send  me  before  3'ou  to  preserve  life. 
For  these  two  \^ears  hath  the  famine  been  in  the  land:  and 
there  are  yet  five  j^ears,  in  the  which  there  shall  be  neither 
plowing  nor  harvest.  And  God  sent  me  before  you  to  preserve 
you   a  remnant   in   the   earth,   and  to  save    you   alive  by  a 


GENESIS  53 

great  deliverance.  So  now  it  was  not  you  that  sent  me 
hither,  but  God:  and  he  hath  made  me  a  father  to  Pharaoh, 
and  lord  of  all  his  house,  and  ruler  over  all  the  land  of  Egypt. 
Haste  ye,  and  go  up  to  my  father,  and  say  unto  him,  '  Thus 
saith  thy  son  Joseph,  "  God  hath  made  me  lord  of  all 
Egypt :  come  down  unto  me,  tarry  not :  and  thou  shalt  dwell  in 
the  land  of  Goshen,  and  thou  shalt  be  near  unto  me,  thou,  and 
thy  children,  and  thy  children's  children,  and  thy  flocks,  and 
thy  herds,  and  all  that  thou  hast:  and  there  will  I  nourish  thee; 
for  there  are  yet  five  years  of  famine;  lest  thou  come  to  poverty, 
thou,  and  thy  household,  and  all  that  thou  hast!  "  '  And,  be- 
hold, your  eyes  see,  and  the  eyes  of  my  brother  Benjamin,  that 
it  is  my  mouth  that  speaketh  unto  you.  And  ye  shall  tell  my 
father  of  all  my  glory  in  Egypt,  and  of  all  that  ye  have  seen; 
and  ye  shall  haste  and  bring  clown  my  father  hither."  And  he 
fell  upon  his  brother  Benjamin's  neck,  and  wept;  and  Benjamin 
wept  upon  his  neck.  And  he  kissed  all  his  brethren,  and  wept 
upon  them:  and  after  that  his  brethren  talked  with  him. 

And  the  fame  thereof  was  heard  in  Pharaoh's  house,  saying, 
"  Joseph's  brethren  are  come";  and  it  pleased  Pharaoh  well, 
and  his  servants.  And  Pharaoh  said  unto  Joseph,  "  Say  unto 
thy  brethren,  '  This  do  ye;  lade  your  beasts,  and  go,  get  you 
unto  the  land  of  Canaan ;  and  take  your  father  and  your  house- 
holds, and  come  unto  me:  and  I  will  give  you  the  good  of  the 
land  of  Egypt,  and  ye  shall  eat  the  fat  of  the  land.  Now  thou 
art  commanded,  this  do  ye;  take  your  wagons  out  of  the  land 
of  Egypt  for  your  little  ones,  and  for  your  wives,  and  bring 
your  father,  and  come.  Also  regard  not  your  stufT;  for  the 
good  of  all  the  land  of  Egypt  is  yours.'  " 

And  the  sons  of  Israel  did  so :  and  Joseph  gave  them  wagons, 
according  to  the  commandment  of  Pharaoh,  and  gave  them 
provision  for  the  way.  To  all  of  them  he  gave  each  man 
changes  of  raiment;  but  to  Benjamin  he  gave  three  hundred 
pieces  of  silver,  and  five  changes  of  raiment.  And  to  his  father 
he  sent  after  this  manner;  ten  asses  laden  with  the  good  things 
of  Egypt,  and  ten  she-asses  laden  with  corn  and  bread  and 
victual  for  his  father  by  the  way.  So  he  sent  his  brethren  away 
and  they  departed:  and  he  said  unto  them,  "  See  that  ye  fall 
not  out  by  the  way." 


54  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  they  went  up  out  of  Egypt,  and  came  into  the  land  of 
Canaan  unto  Jacob  their  father.  And  they  told  him,  saying, 
^'  Joseph  is  yet  alive,  and  he  is  ruler  over  all  the  land  of  Egypt." 
And  his  heart  fainted,  for  he  believed  them  not.  And  they 
told  him  all  the  words  of  Joseph,  v/hich  he  had  said  unto  them: 
and  when  he  saw  the  wagons  which  Joseph  had  sent  to  carry 
him,  the  spirit  of  Jacob  their  father  revived:  and  Israel  said, 
''  It  is  enough;  Joseph  my  son  is  yet  alive:  I  will  go  and  see  him 
before  I  die." 


And  Israel  took  his  journey  with  all  that  he  had,  and  came  to 
Beer-sheba,  and  offered  sacrifices  unto  the  God  of  his  father 
Isaac.  And  God  spake  unto  Israel  in  the  visions  of  the  night, 
and  said,  "  Jacob,  Jacob."  And  he  said,  "  Here  am  I."  And  he 
said,  "  I  am  God,  the  God  of  thy  father:  fear  not  to  go  down 
into  Egypt;  for  I  will  there  make  of  thee  a  great  nation: 
I  will  go  down  with  thee  into  Egypt:  and  I  will  also  surely 
bring  thee  up  again:  and  Joseph  shall  put  his  hand  upon 
thine  eyes."  And  Jacob  rose  up  from  Beer-sheba;  and  the 
sons  of  Israel  carried  Jacob  their  father,  and  their  little  ones, 
and  their  wives,  in  the  wagons  which  Pharaoh  had  sent  to  carry 
him. 

And  he  sent  Judah  before  him  unto  Joseph,  to  shew  the  way 
before  him  unto  Goshen;  and  they  came  into  the  land  of  Goshen. 
And  Joseph  made  ready  his  chariot,  and  went  up  to  meet  Israel 
his  father,  to  Goshen;  and  he  presented  himself  unto  hhn,  and 
fell  on  his  neck,  and  wept  on  his  neck  a  good  while.  And  Israel 
said  unto  Joseph,  '^  Now  let  me  die,  since  I  have  seen  thy  face, 
that  thou  art  yet  alive." 

And  Joseph  said  unto  his  brethren,  and  unto  his  father's  house, 
"  I  will  go  up,  and  tell  Pharaoh,  and  will  say  unto  him,  '  My 
brethren,  and  my  father's  house,  which  were  in  the  land  of  Ca- 
naan, are  come  unto  me;  and  the  men  are  shepherds,  for  they 
have  been  keepers  of  cattle;  and  they  have  brought  their  flocks, 
and  their  herds,  and  all  that  they  have.'  And  it  shall  come  to 
pass,  when  Pharaoh  shall  call  you,  and  shall  say, '  What  is  your 
occupation?  '  that  ye  shall  say,  '  Tby  servants  have  been  keep- 
ers of  cattle  from  our  youth  even  until  now,  both  we,  and  our 


GENESIS  55 

fathers! '  that  ye  may  dwell  in  the  land  of  Goshen;  for  every 
shepherd  is  an  abomination  unto  the  Egyptians." 


Then  Joseph  went  in  and  told  Pharaoh,  and  said,  ''  My  father 
and  my  brethren,  and  their  flocks,  and  their  herds,  and  all  that 
they  have,  are  come  out  of  the  land  of  Canaan;  and,  behold, 
they  are  in  the  land  of  Goshen."  And  from  among  his  brethren 
he  took  five  men,  and  presented  them  unto  Pharaoh.  And 
Pharaoh  said  unto  his  brethren,  ''  What  is  your  occupation?  " 
And  they  said  unto  Pharaoh,  "  Thy  servants  are  shepherds, 
both  we,  and  our  fathers."  And  they  said  unto  Pharaoh,  "  To 
sojourn  in  the  land  are  we  come;  for  there  is  no  pasture  for  thy 
servants'  flocks;  for  the  famine  is  sore  m  the  land  of  Canaan: 
now,  therefore,  w:e  pray  thee,  let  thy  servants  dwell  in  the  land 
of  Goshen."  And  Pharaoh  said,  "  In  the  land  of  Goshen  let 
them  dwell:  and  if  thou  knowest  any  able  men  among  them, 
then  make  them  rulers  over  my  cattle." 

And  Joseph  nourished  his  father,  and  his  brethren,  and  all  his 
father's  household,  with  bread,  according  to  their  families. 

And  there  was  no  bread  in  all  the  land;  for  the  famine  was 
very  sore,  so  that  the  land  of  Egypt  and  the  land  of  Canaan 
fainted  by  reason  of  the  famine.  And  Joseph  gathered  up  all  the 
money  that  was  found  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  in  the  land  of 
Canaan,  for  the  corn  which  they  bought:  and  Joseph  brought 
the  money  into  Pharaoh's  house. 

And  v/hen  the  money  was  all  spent  in  the  land  of  Egypt,  and 
in  the  land  of  Canaan,  all  the  Egyptians  came  unto  Joseph,  and 
said,  "  Give  us  bread:  for  why  should  we  die  in  thy  presence? 
For  our  money  faileth."  And  Joseph  said,  "  Give  your  cattle; 
and  I  will  give  you  for  your  cattle,  if  money  fail."  And  thej'' 
brought  their  cattle  unto  Joseph:  and  Joseph  gave  them  bread 
in  exchange  for  the  horses,  and  for  the  flocks,  and  for  the  herds, 
and  for  the  asses:  and  he  fed  them  with  bread  in  exchange  for 
all  their  cattle  for  that  year. 

And  when  that  year  was  ended,  they  came  unto  him,  the 
second  year,  and  said  unto  him,  "  We  will  not  hide  from  my  lord, 
how  that  our  monej^  is  all  spent;  and  the  herds  of  cattle  are  my 
lord's;  there  is  nought  left  in  the  sight  of  my  lord,  but  our  bodies. 


56  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

and  our  lands:  wherefore  should  we  die  before  thme  eyes, 
both  we  and  our  land?  Buy  us  and  our  land  for  bread,  and 
we  and  our  land  will  be  servants  unto  Pharaoh:  and  give 
us  seed,  that  we  may  live,  and  not  die,  and  that  the  land  be  not 
desolate." 

So  Joseph  bought  all  the  land  of  Egypt  for  Pharaoh;  for  the 
Egyptians  sold  every  man  his  field,  because  the  famine  was  sore 
upon  them;  and  the  land  became  Pharaoh's.  And  as  for  the 
people,  he  removed  them  to  the  cities  from  one  end  of  the  border 
of  Egypt  even  to  the  other  end  thereof.  Only  the  land  of  the 
priests  bought  he  not :  for  the  priests  had  a  portion  from  Pharaoh, 
and  did  eat  their  portion  which  Pharaoh  gave  them;  wherefore 
they  sold  not  their  land. 

Then  Joseph  said  unto  the  people,  "  Behold,  I  have  bought  you 
this  day  and  j^our  land  for  Pharaoh :  lo,  here  is  seed  for  you,  and 
ye  shall  sow  the  land.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass  at  the  ingather- 
ings, that  ye  shall  give  a  fifth  unto  Pharaoh,  and  four  parts  shall 
be  your  o\mi,  for  seed  of  the  field,  and  for  your  food,  and  for  them 
of  your  households,  and  for  food  for  your  little  ones."  And  they 
said,  "  Thou  hast  saved  our  lives:  let  us  find  grace  in  the  sight 
of  my  lord,  and  we  will  be  Pharaoh's  servants." 

And  Joseph  made  it  a  statute  concerning  the  land  of  Egypt 
unto  this  day,  that  Pharaoh  should  have  the  fifth;  only  the  land 
of  the  priests  alone  became  not  Pharaoh's.  And  Israel  dwelt  in 
the  land  of  Egypt,  in  the  land  of  Goshen. 

And  the  time  drew  near  that  Israel  must  die:  And  he  called 
his  son  Joseph,  and  said  unto  him,  "  If  now  I  have  found  grace 
in  thy  sight,  put,  I  pray  thee,  thy  hand  under  my  thigh,  and  deal 
kindly  and  truly  with  me;  burj^  me  not,  I  pray  thee,  in  Egypt: 
but  w^hen  I  sleep  with  my  fathers,  thou  shaft  carry  me  out  of 
Egypt,  and  bury  me  in  their  bur\dng-place."  And  he  said, 
"  I  will  do  as  thou  hast  said."  And  he  said,  ''  Swear  unto  me  ": 
and  he  sware  unto  him.  And  Israel  bowed  himself  upon  the 
bed's  head. 


And  it  came  to  pass  after  these  things,  that  one  said  to  Joseph, 
"  Behold,  thy  father  is  sick  ";  and  he  took  with  him  his  two 
sons,  Manasseh  and  Ephraim.    And  one  told  Jacob,  and  said, 


GENESIS  57 

''  Behold,  thy  son  Joseph  cometh  unto  thee  ":  and  Israel 
strengthened  himself,  and  sat  upon  the  bed. 

And  Jacob  said,  "  And  as  for  me,  when  I  came  from  Paddan, 
Rachel  died  by  me  in  the  land  of  Canaan  in  the  way,  when  there 
was  still  some  way  to  come  unto  Ephrath:  and  I  buried  her 
there  in  the  waj^  to  Ephrath  (the  same  is  Beth-lehem)." 

And  Israel  beheld  Joseph's  sons,  and  said,  "  Who  are  these?" 
And  Joseph  said  unto  his  father,  ''  They  are  my  sons,  whom  God 
hath  given  me  here."  And  he  said,  "  Bring  them,  I  pray  thee, 
unto  me,  and  I  ^vill  bless  them."  Now  the  eyes  of  Israel  were 
dim  for  age,  so  that  he  could  not  see.  And  he  brought  them 
near  unto  him;  and  he  kissed  them,  and  embraced  them.  And 
Israel  said  unto  Joseph,  "  I  had  not  thought  to  see  thy  face: 
and  lo,  God  hath  let  me  see  thy  seed  also."  And  Joseph  brought 
them  out  from  between  his  knees;  and  he  bowed  himself  with 
his  face  to  the  earth.  And  Joseph  took  them  both,  Ephraim  in 
his  right  hand  toward  Israel's  left  hand,  and  Manasseh  in  his 
left  hand  toward  Israel's  right  hand,  and  brought  them  near 
unto  him.  And  Israel  stretched  out  his  right  hand,  and  laid  it 
upon  Epln-aim's  head,  who  was  the  j^ounger,  and  his  left  hand 
upon  Manasseh's  head,  guiding  his  hands  wittingly;  for  Ma- 
nasseh was  the  firstborn. 

And  he  blessed  Joseph,  and  said,  ''  The  God  before  whom  ray 
fathers  Abraham  and  Isaac  did  walk,  the  God  which  hath 
fed  me  all  my  life  long  unto  this  day,  the  angel  which  hath 
redeemed  me  from  all  evil,  bless  the  lads;  and  let  my  name 
be  named  on  them,  and  the  name  of  my  fathers  Abraham  and 
Isaac;  and  let  them  grow  into  a  multitude  in  the  midst  of  the 
earth." 

And  when  Joseph  saw  that  his  father  laid  his  right  hand  upon 
the  head  of  Ephraim,  it  displeased  him:  and  he  held  up  his 
father's  hand,  to  remove  it  from  Ephraim's  head  unto  Manas- 
seh's head.  And  Joseph  said  unto  his  father,  "  Not  so,  my 
father:  for  this  is  the  firstborn:  put  thy  right  hand  upon  his 
head."  And  his  father  refused,  and  said,  ''  I  know  it,  my  son, 
I  know  it:  he  also  shall  become  a  people,  and  he  also  shall  be 
great:  howbeit  his  younger  brother  shall  be  greater  than  he,  and 
his  seed  shall  become  a  multitude  of  nations."  And  he  blessed 
them  that  day,  saying,  ''  In  thee  shall  Israel  bless,  saying,  'God 


58  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

make  thee  as  Ephraim  and  as  Manasseh  '  " :  and  he  set  Ephraim 
before  Manasseh. 

And  Israel  said  unto  Joseph,  "  Behold,  I  die:  but  God  shall 
be  with  you,  and  bring  you  again  unto  the  land  of  your  fathers. 
Moreover  I  have  given  to  thee  one  portion  above  thy  brethren, 
which  I  took  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Amorite  with  my  sword  and 
with  mv  bow." 


And  Jacob  called  unto  his  sons,  and  said:  "  Gather  yourselves 
together,  that  I  may  tell  j^ou  that  which  shall  befall  you  in  the 
latter  daj^s. 

Assemble  yourselves,  and  hear,  ye  sons  of  Jacob; 
And  hearken  unto  Israel  j^our  father. 

Reuben,  thou  art  my  firstborn,  my  might,  and  the  beginning 
of  my  strength ; 
The  excellencj''  of  dignity,  and  the  excellency  of  power. 
Unstable  as  water,  thou  shalt  not  have  the  excellency; 
Because  thou  wentest  up  to  thy  father's  bed: 
Then  defiledst  thou  it:  he  went  up  to  my  couch. 

Simeon  and  Levi  are  brethren; 
Weapons  of  violence  are  their  swords. 

0  my  soul,  come  not  thou  into  their  council; 

Unto  their  assembly,  my  glory,  be  not  thou  united; 
For  in  their  anger  they  slew  a  man. 
And  in  their  self  will  they  houghed  an  ox. 
Cursed  be  their  anger,  for  it  was  fierce; 
And  their  wrath,  for  it  was  cruel: 

1  will  divide  them  in  Jacob, 
And  scatter  them  in  Israel. 

Judah,  thee  shall  thy  brethren  praise: 
Thy  hand  shall  be  on  the  neck  of  thine  enemies; 
Thy  father's  sons  shall  bow  down  before  thee. 
Judah  is  a  lion's  whelp; 
From  the  prey,  my  son,  thou  art  gone  up : 


GENESIS  59 

He  stooped  down,  he  couched  as  a  lion, 

And  as  a  lioness;  who  shall  rouse  him  up? 

The  sceptre  shall  not  depart  from  Judah, 

Nor  the  ruler's  staff  from  between  his  feet, 

Until  Shiloh  come; 

And  unto  him  shall  the  obedience  of  the  peoples  be. 

Binding  his  foal  unto  the  vine. 

And  his  ass's  colt  unto  the  choice  vine; 

He  hath  washed  his  garments  in  wine, 

And  his  vesture  in  the  blood  of  grapes: 

His  eyes  shall  be  red  with  wine, 

And  his  teeth  white  with  milk. 


Zebulun  shall  dwell  at  the  haven  of  the  sea ; 
And  he  shall  be  for  an  haven  of  ships; 
And  his  border  shall  be  upon  Zidon. 


Isaachar  is  a  strong  ass, 
Couching  down  between  the  sheepfolds: 
And  he  saw  a  resting  place  that  it  was  good, 
And  the  land  that  it  was  pleasant ; 
And  he  bowed  his  shoulder  to  bear, 
And  became  a  servant  under  taskwork. 


Dan  shall  judge  his  people, 
As  one  of  the  tribes  of  Israel. 
Dan  shall  be  a  serpent  in  the  way, 
An  adder  in  the  path, 
That  biteth  the  horse's  heels, 
So  that  his  rider  falleth  backward, 
I  have  waited  for  thy  salvation,  0  Yahweh. 


Gad,  a  troop  shall  press  upon  him: 
But  he  shall  press  upon  their  heel. 


60  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

Out  of  Asher  his  bread  shall  be  fat, 
And  he  shall  yield  royal  dainties. 


Naphtali  is  a  hind  let  loose : 
He  giveth  goodlj^  words. 

Joseph  is  a  fruitful  bough, 
A  fruitful  bough  by  a  fountain ; 
His  branches  run  over  the  wall. 
The  archers  have  sorely  grieved  him, 
And  shot  at  him,  and  persecuted  him: 
But  his  bow  abode  in  strength, 
And  the  arms  of  his  hands  were  made  strong. 
By  the  hands  of  the  Mighty  One  of  Jacob, 
(From  thence  is  the  shepherd,  the  stone  of  Israel), 
Even  by  the  God  of  thy  father,  who  shall  help  thee, 
And  by  the  Almighty,  who  shall  bless  thee. 
With  blessings  of  heaven  above, 
Blessings  of  the  deep  that  couchcth  beneath. 
Blessings  of  the  breasts,  and  of  the  womb. 
The  blessings  of  thy  father 

Have  prevailed  above  the  blessings  of  my  progenitors 
Unto  the  utmost  bound  of  the  everlasting  hills: 
They  shall  be  on  the  head  of  Joseph, 

And  on  the  crown  of  the  head  of  him  that  was  separate  from 
his  brethren. 


Benjamin  is  a  wolf  that  ravineth: 
In  the  morning  he  shall  devour  the  prey. 
And  at  even  he  shall  divide  tlie  spoil." 

He  gathered  up  his  feet  into  the  bed. 


And  Joseph  fell  upon  his  father's  face,  and  wept  upon  him,  and 
kissed  him.  And  Joseph  commanded  his  servants  the  physicians 
to  embalm  his  father:    and  the  physicians  embalmed  Israel. 


GENESIS  61 

And  forty  days  were  fulfilled  for  him;  for  so  are  fulfilled  the 
days  of  embalming:  and  the  Egyptians  wept  for  him  threescore 
and  ten  days. 

And  when  the  days  of  weeping  for  him  were  past,  Joseph  spake 
unto  the  house  of  Pharaoh,  saying,  ''  If  now  I  have  found  grace 
in  your  eyes,  speak,  I  pray  you,  in  the  ears  of  Pharaoh,  saying, 
'  My  father  made  me  swear,  saying,  "  Lo,  I  die:  in  my  grave 
which  I  have  digged  for  me  in  the  land  of  Canaan,  there  shalt 
thou  bury  me."  Now  therefore  let  me  go  up,  I  pray  thee,  and 
bury  my  father,  and  I  will  come  again.'  "  And  Pharaoh  said, 
"  Go  up,  and  bury  thy  father,  according  as  he  made  thee  swear." 

And  Joseph  went  up  to  bury  his  father :  and  with  him  w^ent  up 
all  the  servants  of  Pharaoh,  the  elders  of  his  house,  and  all  the 
elders  of  the  land  of  Egypt,  and  all  the  house  of  Joseph,  and  his 
brethren,  and  his  father's  house:  only  their  little  ones,  and  their 
flocks,  and  their  herds,  they  left  in  the  land  of  Goshen.  And 
there  went  up  with  him  both  chariots  and  horsemen :  and  it  was 
a  very  great  company. 

And  they  came  to  the  threshing-floor  of  Atad,  which  is  beyond 
Jordan,  and  there  they  lamented  with  a  verj''  great  and  sore 
lamentation:  and  he  made  a  mourning  for  his  father  seven 
days.  And  when  the  inhabitants  of  the  land,  the  Canaanites 
saw  the  mourning  in  the  floor  of  Atad,  they  said,  "  This  is  a 
grievous  mourning  to  the  Egyptians:  "  wherefore,  the  name  of  it 
was  called  Abel-mizraim,  which  is  beyond  Jordan. 

And  Joseph  returned  into  Egypt,  he,  and  his  brethren,  and 
all  that  went  up  with  him  to  bury  his  father,  after  he  had  buried 
his  father. 


EXODUS 


EXODUS 
The  Story  of  Moses 

And  Joseph  died,  and  all  his  brethren,  and  all  that  generation. 

Now  there  arose  a  new  king  over  Egypt,  who  knew  not  Joseph. 
And  he  said  unto  his  people,  "  Behold,  the  people  of  the  children 
of  Israel  are  more  and  mightier  than  we:  come,  let  us  deal  wisely 
with  them;  lest  they  multiply,  and  it  come  to  pass,  that,  when 
there  falleth  out  any  war,  they  also  join  themselves  unto  our 
enemies,  and  fight  against  us,  and  get  them  up  out  of  the  land." 
Therefore  they  did  set  over  them  task-masters  to  afflict  them 
with  their  burdens.  And  they  built  for  Pharaoh  store-cities, 
Pithom  and  Raamses.  But  the  more  they  afflicted  them,  the 
more  they  multipUed  and  the  more  they  spread  abroad.  And 
they  were  grieved  because  of  the  children  of  Israel. 

And  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days,  when  Moses  was  grown 
up,  that  he  went  out  unto  his  brethren,  and  looked  on  their 
l)urdens :  and  he  saw  an  Egyptian  smiting  a  Hebrew,  one  of  his 
brethren.  And  he  looked  this  way  and  that  way,  and  when  he 
saw  that  there  was  no  man,  he  smote  the  Egyptian,  and  hid  him 
in  the  sand.  And  he  went  out  the  second  day,  and,  behold,  two 
men  of  the  Hebrews  were  striving  together :  and  he  said  to  him 
that  did  the  wrong,  "  Wherefore  smitest  thou  thy  fellow?  "  And 
he  said,  ''  Who  made  thee  a  prince  and  a  judge  over  us?  tliink- 
est  thou  to  kill  me,  as  thou  killedst  the  Egyptian?  "  And  Moses 
feared,  and  said,  "  Surely  the  thing  is  known."  Now  when 
Pharaoh  heard  this  thing,  he  sought  to  slay  Moses.  But  Moses 
fled  from  the  face  of  Pharaoh,  and  dwelt  in  the  land  of  Midian: 
and  he  sat  down  by  a  well. 

Now  the  priest  of  Midian  had  seven  daughters:  and  they 
came  and  drew  water,  and  filled  the  troughs  to  water  their 


66  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

father's  flock.  And  the  shepherds  came  and  drove  them  away; 
but  Moses  stood  up  and  helped  them,  and  watered  their  flock. 
And  when  they  came  to  Reuel  their  father,  he  said,  "  How  is 
it  that  ye  are  come  so  soon  to-day?  "  And  they  said,  "  An 
Egj^ptian  dehvered  us  out  of  the  hand  of  the  shepherds,  and 
moreover  he  drew  water  for  us,  and  watered  the  flock."  And  he 
said  unto  his  daughters,  "And  where  is  he?  why  is  it  that  ye 
have  left  the  man?  call  him,  that  he  may  eat  bread."  And 
Moses  was  content  to  dwell  with  the  man:  and  he  gave  Moses 
Zipporah  his  daughter.  And  she  bare  a  son,  and  he  called  his 
name  Gershom;  for  he  said,  I  have  been  a  sojourner  in  a 
foreign  land. 

And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  course  of  those  many  days,  that 
the  king  of  Egypt  died  ....  And  the  angel  of  Yahweh  appeared 
unto  Moses  in  a  flame  of  fire  out  of  the  midst  of  a  bush:  and 
he  looked,  and,  behold,  the  bush  burned  with  fire,  and  the  bush 
was  not  consumed.  And  Moses  said,  '^  I  will  turn  aside  now, 
and  see  this  great  sight,  why  the  bush  is  not  burnt."  And 
Yahweh  saw  that  he  turned  aside  to  see,  and  Moses  said, 
"  Here  am  I."  And  he  said,  ''  Draw  not  nigh  hither :  put  off  thy 
shoes  from  off  thy  feet,  for  the  place  whereon  thou  standest  is 
holy  ground."  And  Yahweh  said,  "  I  have  surely  seen  the 
affliction  of  my  people  that  are  in  Egj^pt,  and  have  heard  their 
cry  by  reason  of  their  task-masters;  for  I  know  their  sorrows; 
and  I  am  come  down  to  deliver  them  out  of  the  hand  of  the 
Egyptians,  and  to  luring  them  up  out  of  that  land  unto  a  good 
land  and  a  large,  unto  a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey ;  unto 
the  place  of  the  Canaanite,  and  the  Hittite,  and  the  Amorite,  and 
the  Perizzite,  and  the  Hivite,  and  the  Jebusite.  And  now, 
behold,  the  cry  of  the  children  of  Israel  is  come  unto  me:  Go. 
and  gather  the  elders  of  Israel  together,  and  say  unto  them,' Yah- 
weh, the  God  of  your  fathers,  the  God  of  Abram,  of  Isaac, 
and  of  Jacob,  hath  appeared  unto  me,  saying,  "  I  have  surely 
visited  you,  and  seen  that  which  is  done  to  yoxi  in  Egypt: 
and  I  have  said,  I  will  bring  you  up  out  of  the  affliction  of  Egypt 
unto  the  land  of  the  Canaanite,  and  the  Hittite,  and  the  Amorite, 
and  the  Perizzite,  and  the  Hivite,  and  the  Jebusite,  unto  a 
land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey."    And  they  shall  hearken  to 


EXODUS  67 

thy  voice:  and  thou  shalt  come,  thou  and  the  elders  of  Israel, 
unto  the  king  of  Egypt,  and  ye  shall  say  unto  him,  '  Yahweh, 
the  God  of  the  Hebrews,  hath  met  with  us :  and  now  let  us  go, 
we  pray  thee,  three  days'  journey  into  the  wilderness,  that  we 
may  sacrifice  to  Yahweh  our  God.' " 


And  Moses  answered  and  said,  "  But,  behold,  they  will  not 
believe  me,  nor  hearken  unto  my  voice;  for  they  will  say, 
Yahweh  hath  not  appeared  unto  thee."  And  Yahweh  said 
unto  him,  "  What  is  that  in  thy  hand?  "  And  he  said,  "  A  rod." 
And  he  said,  ''  Cast  it  on  the  ground."  And  he  cast  it  on  the 
ground,  and  it  became  a  serpent;  and  Moses  fled  from  before  it. 
And  Yahweh  said  unto  Moses,  "  Put  forth  thy  hand,  and  take  it 
by  the  tail ":  (and  he  put  forth  his  hand,  and  laid  hold  of  it, 
and  it  became  a  rod  in  his  hand:)  "  that  they  may  believe  that 
Yahweh,  the  God  of  their  fathers,  the  God  of  Abram,  the  God 
of  Isaac,  and  the  God  of  Jacob,  hath  appeared  unto  thee."  And 
Yahweh  said  furthermore  unto  him,  "  Put  now  thy  hand  into  thy 
bosom."  And  he  put  his  hand  into  his  bosom:  and  when  he 
took  it  out,  behold,  his  hand  was  leprous,  as  white  as  snow. 
And  he  said,  "  Put  thy  hand  into  thy  bosom  again."  (And  he 
put  his  hand  into  his  bosom  again;  and  when  he  took  it  out  of 
his  bosom,  behold,  it  was  turned  again  as  his  other  flesh).  "And 
it  shall  come  to  pass,  if  they  will  not  believe  thee,  neither  hearken 
to  the  voice  of  the  first  sign,  that  they  will  believe  the  voice  of 
the  latter  sign.  And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  if  they  will  not  be- 
lieve even  these  two  signs,  neither  hearken  unto  thy  voice,  that 
thou  shalt  take  of  the  water  of  the  river,  and  pour  it  upon  the 
dry  land :  and  the  water  which  thou  takest  out  of  the  river  shall 
become  blood  upon  the  dry  land." 

And  Moses  said  unto  Yahweh,  "  Oh,  Lord,  I  am  not  eloquent, 
neither  heretofore,  nor  since  thou  hast  spoken  unto  thj'-  servant; 
for  I  am  slow  of  speech,  and  of  a  slow  tongue."  And  Yahweh 
said  unto  him,  ''  Who  hath  made  man's  mouth?  or  who  maketh 
a  man  dumb,  or  deaf,  or  seeing,  or  blind?  is  it  not  I,  Yahweh? 
Now  therefore,  go,  and  I  will  be  with  thy  mouth,  and  teach  thee 
what  thou  shalt  speak." 

iVnd  Yahweh  said  unto  Moses  in  Midian,  "Go,  return  into 


68  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

Egypt:  for  all  the  men  are  dead  which  sought  thy  life."  And 
Moses  took  his  wife  and  his  sons,  and  set  them  upon  an  ass, 
and  he  returned  to  the  land  of  Egypt.  And  it  came  to  pass  on 
the  way  at  the  lodging-place,  that  Yahweh  met  him,  and  sought 
to  kill  him.  Then  Zipporah  took  a  flint,  and  cut  off  the  foreskin 
of  her  son,  and  cast  it  at  his  feet;  and  she  said,  '^  Surely  a  bride- 
groom of  blood  art  thou  to  me."  So  he  let  him  alone.  Then 
she  said,  "  A  bridegroom  of  blood  art  thou,  because  of  the  cir- 
cumcision." 

And  Moses  went  and  gathered  together  all  the  elders  of  the 
children  of  Israel:  and  did  the  signs  in  the  sight  of  the  people. 
And  the  people  believed:  and  when  they  heard  that  Yahweh 
had  visited  the  children  of  Israel,  and  that  he  had  seen  their 
affliction,  then  they  bowed  their  heads  and  worshipped. 


And  they  said,  ''  The  God  of  the  Hebrews  hath  met  with  us: 
let  us  go,  we  pray  thee,  three  days'  journey  into  the  wilderness, 
and  sacrifice  unto  Yahweh  our  God;  lest  he  fall  upon  us  with 
pestilence,  or  with  the  sword."  And  the  king  of  Egypt,  Pharaoh 
said,  "  Behold,  the  people  of  the  land  are  now  many,  and  j^e 
make  them  rest  from  their  burdens."  And  the  same  day  Pha- 
raoh commanded  the  taskmasters  of  the  people,  and  their 
officers,  saying,  "  Ye  shall  no  more  give  the  people  straw  to 
make  brick,  as  heretofore:  let  them  go  and  gather  straw  for 
themselves.  And  the  number  of  the  bricks,  which  they  did  make 
heretofore,  ye  shall  lay  upon  them;  ye  shall  not  diminish  aught 
thereof:  for  they  are  idle;  therefore  they  cry,  saying,  '  Let  us  go 
and  sacrifice  to  our  God.'  Let  heavier  work  be  laid  upon  the 
men,  that  they  may  labour  therein;  and  let  them  not  regard 
lying  words." 

And  the  taskmasters  of  the  people  went  out,  and  their  officers, 
and  they  spake  to  the  people,  saying,  "  Thus  saith  Pharaoh,  I 
wdll  not  give  you  straw.  Go  yourselves,  get  you  straw  where  ye 
can  find  it:  for  nought  of  your  work  shall  be  diminished."  So 
the  people  were  scattered  abroad  throughout  all  the  land  of 
Egypt  to  gather  stubble  for  straw.  And  the  taskmasters  were 
urgent,  saying,  "  Fulfil  j^our  works,  your  daily  tasks,  as  when 
there  w\as  straw.     And  the  officers  of  the  children  of  Israel, 


EXODUS  69 

whom  Pharaoh's  taskmasters  had  set  over  them,  were  beaten, 
and  demanded,  "  Wherefore  have  ye  not  fulfilled  your  task  both 
yesterday  and  today,  in  making  brick  as  heretofore?  " 

Then  the  officers  of  the  children  of  Israel  came  and  cried  unto 
Pharaoh,  sajdng,  ''  Wherefore  dealest  thou  thus  with  thy  ser- 
vants? There  is  no  straw  given  unto  thy  servants,  and  they 
say  to  us,  *  Make  brick: '  and,  behold,  thy  servants  are  beaten; 
but  the  fault  is  in  thine  own  people."  But  he  said,  ''  Ye  are 
idle,  ye  are  idle:  therefore  ye  say.  Let  us  go  and  sacrifice  to 
Yahweh.  Go  therefore,  now,  and  work;  for  there  shall  no  straw 
be  given  you,  yet  shall  ye  deliver  the  numl^er  of  bricks."  And 
the  officers  of  the  children  of  Israel  did  see  that  they  were  in 
evil  case,  when  it  was  said,  "  Ye  shall  not  diminish  aught  from 
your  bricks,  your  daily  tasks."  And  they  met  Moses,  who  stood 
in  the  way,  as  they  came  forth  from  Pharaoh:  and  they  said 
unto  them,  "  Yahweh  look  upon  you,  and  judge;  because  ye 
have  made  our  savour  to  be  abhorred  in  the  eyes  of  Pharaoh,  and 
in  the  eyes  of  his  servants,  to  put  a  sword  in  their  hand  to 
slay  us." 

And  Moses  returned  unto  Yahweh,  and  said,  '^  Lord,  where- 
fore hast  thou  dealt  ill  with  this  people;  why  is  it  that  thou  hast 
sent  me?  For  since  I  came  to  Pharaoh  to  speak  in  thy  name,  he 
hath  dealt  ill  with  this  people;  neither  hast  thou  delivered  thy 
people  at  all."  ....  And  Yahweh  said  unto  Moses,  "  Now  shalt 
thou  see  what  I  wall  do  to  Pharaoh :  for  by  a  strong  hand  shall 
he  let  them  go,  and  by  a  strong  hand  shall  he  drive  them 
out  of  his  land." 

The  Story  of  the  Seven  Plagues 
And  Yahweh  said  unto  Moses,  "  Pharaoh's  heart  is  stubborn, 
he  refuseth  to  let  the  people  go.  And  thou  shalt  say  unto 
him,  '  Yahweh,  the  God  of  the  Hebrews,  hath  sent  me  unto 
thee,  saying,  "Let  my  people  go,  that  they  may  serve  me  in  the 
wilderness:  and,  behold,  hitherto  thou  hast  not  hearkened."  '  " 
Thus  saith  Yahweh,  ''  In  this  thou  shalt  know  that  I  am  Yah- 
weh. And  the  fish  that  are  in  the  river  shall  die,  and  the  river 
shall  stink;  and  the  Egyptians  shall  loathe  to  drink  water  from 
the  river."  And  the  fish  that  were  in  the  river  died;  and  the 
river  stank,  and  the  Egyptians  could  not  drink  water  from  the 


70  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

river.  And  all  the  Egyptians  digged  round  about  the  river  for 
water  to  drink;  for  they  could  not  drink  of  the  water  of  the 
river.  And  seven  days  were  fulfilled,  after  that  Yahweh  had 
smitten  the  river. 


And  Yahweh  spake  unto  Moses,  '*  Go  in  unto  Pharaoh,  and 
say  unto  him,  Thus  saith  Yahweh,  Let  my  people  go,  that  they 
may  serve  me.  And  if  thou  refuse  to  let  them  go,  behold,  I 
will  smite  all  thy  borders  with  frogs:  and  the  river  shall  swarm 
with  frogs,  which  shall  go  up  and  come  into  thy  house,  and  into 
thy  bedchamber,  and  upon  thy  bed,  and  into  the  house  of  thy 
servants,  and  upon  thy  people,  and  into  thine  ovens,  and  into 
thy  kneading-troughs :  and  the  frogs  shall  come  up  both  upon 
thee,  and  upon  thy  people,  and  upon  all  thy  servants." 

Then  Pharaoh  called  for  Moses  and  said,  ''  Entreat  Yahweh 
that  he  take  away  the  frogs  from  me,  and  from  my  people;  and 
I  will  let  the  people  go,  that  they  may  sacrifice  unto  Yahweh." 
And  Moses  said  unto  Pharaoh,  "  Have  thou  this  glory  over  me: 
against  what  time  shall  I  entreat  for  thee,  and  for  thy  servants, 
and  for  thy  people,  that  the  frogs  be  destroyed  from  thee  and  thy 
houses,  and  remain  in  the  river  only?  "  And  he  said,  "  Against 
tomorrow."  And  he  said,  "  Be  it  according  to  thy  word;  that 
thou  mayest  know  that  there  is  none  lilce  unto  Yahweh  our  God. 
And  the  frogs  shall  depart  from  thee,  and  from  thy  houses,  and 
from  thy  servants,  and  from  thy  people;  they  shall  remain  in  the 
river  only."  And  Moses  went  out  from  Pharaoh:  and  Moses 
cried  unto  Yahweh  concerning  the  frogs  which  he  had  brought 
upon  Pharaoh.  And  Yahweh  did  according  to  the  word  of 
Moses;  and  the  frogs  died  out  of  the  houses,  out  of  the  courts, 
and  out  of  the  fields.  And  they  gathered  them  together  in 
heaps;  and  the  land  stank.  But  when  Pharaoh  saw  that  there 
was  respite,  he  hardened  his  heart. 

And  Yahweh  said  unto  Moses,  "  Rise  up  early  in  the  morning, 
and  stand  before  Pharaoh;  lo,  he  cometh  forth  to  the  water; 
and  say  unto  him.  Thus  saith  Yahweh,  Let  my  people  go,  that 
they  may  serve  me.  Else,  if  thou  wilt  not  let  my  people  go, 
behold,  I  will  send  swarms  of  flies  upon  thee,  and  upon  thy 
servants,  and  upon  thy  people,  and  into  thy  houses:   and  the 


EXODUS  71 

houses  of  the  Egyptians  shall  be  full  of  swarms  of  flies,  and  also 
the  ground  whereon  they  are.  And  I  will  sever  in  that  day  the 
land  of  Goshen,  in  which  my  people  dwell,  that  no  swarms  of 
flies  shall  be  there ;  to  the  end  thou  mayest  know  that  I  am  Yah- 
weh  in  the  midst  of  the  earth.  And  I  will  put  a  division  between 
my  people  and  thy  people:  by  tomorrow  shall  this  sign  be. 
''  And  Yahweh  did  so;  and  there  came  grievous  swarms  of  flies 
into  the  house  of  Pharaoh,  and  into  his  servants'  houses :  and  in 
all  the  land  of  Egypt  the  land  was  corrupted  by  reason  of  the 
swarms  of  flies.  And  Pharaoh  called  for  Moses  and  said,  "  Go 
ye,  sacrifice  to  your  God  in  the  land."  And  Moses  said,  *'  It  is 
not  meet  so  to  do ;  for  we  shall  sacrifice  the  abomination  of  the 
Egyptians  to  Yahweh  our  God :  lo,  shall  we  sacrifice  the  abomi- 
nation of  the  Egyptians  before  their  eyes,  and  will  they  not  stone 
us?  We  will  go  three  days'  journey  into  the  wilderness  and 
sacrifice  to  Yahweh,  our  God,  as  he  shall  command  us."  And 
Pharaoh  said,  ^'  I  will  let  j^ou  go,  that  ye  may  sacrifice  to  Yah- 
weh, 3^our  God,  in  the  wilderness;  onlj''  ye  shall  not  go  very  far 
away:  entreat  for  me."  And  Moses  said,  ''Behold  I  go  out 
from  thee,  and  I  will  entreat  Yahweh  that  the  swarms  of  flies 
may  depart  from  Pharaoh,  from  his  servants,  and  from  his 
people,  tomorrow:  only  let  not  Pharaoh  deal  deceitfully  any 
more  in  not  letting  the  people  go  to  sacrifice  to  Yahweh."  And 
Moses  went  out  from  Pharaoh,  and  entreated  Yahweh.  And 
Yahweh  did  according  to  the  word  of  Moses;  and  he  removed 
the  swarms  of  flies  from  Pharaoh,  from  his  servants,  and  from 
his  people;  there  remained  not  one.  And  Pharaoh  hardened 
his  heart  this  time  also,  and  he  did  not  let  the  people  go. 


Then  Yahweh  said  unto  Moses,  "Go  in  unto  Pharaoh,  and 
tell  him,  Thus  saith  Yahweh  the  God  of  the  Hebrews,  Let  my 
people  go,  that  they  may  serve  me.  For  if  thou  refuse  to  let 
them  go,  and  wilt  hold  them  still,  behold,  the  hand  of  Yahweh  is 
upon  thy  cattle  which  are  in  the  field,  upon  the  horses,  upon  the 
asses,  upon  the  camels,  upon  the  herds,  and  upon  the  flocks: 
there  shall  be  a  very  grievous  murrain.  And  Yahweh  shall  make 
a  distinction  between  the  cattle  of  Israel  and  the  cattle  of  Egypt; 
and  there  shall  nothing  die  of  all  that  belongeth  to  the  children 


72  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

of  Israel."  And  Yahweh  appointed  a  set  time,  saying,  "  To- 
morrow Yah  well  shall  do  this  thing  in  the  land."  And  Yahweh 
did  that  thing  on  the  morrow;  and  all  the  cattle  of  Egypt  died; 
but  of  the  cattle  of  the  children  of  Israel  died  not  one.  And 
Pharaoh  sent,  and,  behold,  there  was  not  so  much  as  one  of  the 
cattle  of  the  Israelites  dead.  But  the  heart  of  Pharaoh  was 
stubborn,  and  he  did  not  let  the  people  go. 

And  Yahweh  said  unto  Moses,  "  Rise  up  early  in  the  morning, 
and  stand  before  Pharaoh,  and  say  unto  him,  '  Thus  saith  Yah- 
weh, the  God  of  the  Hebrews,  "  Let  my  people  go,  that  they  may 
serve  me."  Behold,  tomorrow  about  this  time  I  will  cause  it 
to  rain  a  very  grievous  hail,  such  as  hath  not  been  in  Egypt  since 
the  day  it  was  founded  even  until  now.'  "  And  Yahweh  rained 
hail  upon  the  land  of  Egypt,  very  grievous  such  as  had  not 
been  in  all  the  land  of  Egypt  since  it  became  a  nation.  And 
the  hail  smote  every  herb  of  the  field,  and  brake  every  tree  of 
the  field.  Only  in  the  land  of  Goshen  where  the  children  of 
Israel  were,  was  there  no  hail. 

And  Pharaoh  sent,  and  called  for  Moses  and  said  unto  him, 
''  I  have  sinned  this  time:  Yahweh  is  righteous,  and  I  and  my 
people  are  wicked.  Entreat  Yahweh  for  there  hath  been 
enough  of  these  mighty  thunderings  and  hail ;  and  I  will  let  you 
go,  and  3^e  shall  staj''  no  longer."  And  Moses  said  unto  him, 
"  As  soon  as  I  am  gone  out  of  the  city,  I  will  spread  abroad  my 
hands  unto  Yahweh;  the  thunders  shall  cease,  neither  shall 
there  be  any  more  hail.  And  Moses  went  out  of  the  city  from 
Pharaoh,  and  spread  abroad  his  hands  unto  Yahweh  and  the 
thunders  and  hail  ceased,  and  the  rain  was  not  poured  upon  the 
earth.  And  when  Pharaoh  saw  that  the  rain  and  the  hail  and 
the  thunders  were  ceased,  he  sinned  yet  more  and  hardened  his 
heart,  he  and  his  servants. 


And  Moses  said  unto  Pharaoh,  "  Thus  saith  Yahweh,  the 
God  of  the  Hebrews,  '  How  long  wilt  thou  refuse  to  humble 
thyself  before  me?  let  my  people  go,  that  they  may  sei*ve  me. 
Else,  if  thou  refuse  to  let  my  people  go,  behold,  to-morrow 
will  I  bring  locusts  into  thy  border:  and  they  shall  cover  the 
face  of  the  earth,  that  one  shall  not  be  able  to  see  the  earth: 


EXODUS  73 

and  they  shall  eat  the  residue  of  that  which  is  escaped,  which 
remaineth  unto  you  from  the  hail,  and  shall  eat  every  tree 
which  groweth  for  you  out  of  the  field :  and  thy  houses  shall  be 
filled,  and  the  houses  of  all  thy  servants,  and  the  houses  of  all 
the  Egyptians;  as  neither  thy  fathers  nor  thy  fathers'  fathers 
have  seen,  since  the  day  that  they  were  upon  the  earth  unto 
this  day.'  "  And  he  turned,  and  went  out  from  Pharaoh!  And 
Pharaoh's  servants  said  unto  him,  "  How  long  shall  this  man  be 
a  snare  unto  us?  let  the  men  go,  that  they  may  serve  Yahweh 
their  God:  knowest  thou  not  yet  that  Egypt  is  destroyed?" 
And  Moses  was  brought  again  unto  Pharaoh  and  he  said 
unto  him,  "  Go,  serve  Yahweh  your  God;  but  who  are  they 
that  shall  go?  "  And  Moses  said,  "  We  will  go  with  our  young 
and  with  our  old,  with  our  sons  and  with  our  daughters,  with 
our  flocks  and  with  our  herds  will  we  go ;  for  we  must  hold  a 
feast  unto  Yahweh."  And  he  said  unto  them,  "  So  be  Yahweh 
with  you,  as  I  will  let  you  go,  and  your  little  ones:  look  to 
it:  for  evil  is  before  you.  Not  so:  go  now  ye  that  are  men, 
and  serve  Yahweh,  for  that  is  what  ye  desire."  And  they  were 
driven  out  from  Pharaoh's  presence. 

And  Yahweh  brought  an  east  wind  upon  the  land  all  that  day, 
and  all  the  night;  and  when  it  was  morning,  the  east  wind 
brought  the  locusts.  Very  grievous  were  they;  before  them 
there  were  no  such  locusts  as  they,  neither  after  them  shall  be 
such.  For  they  covered  the  face  of  the  w^hole  earth,  and  there 
remained  not  any  green  thing,  either  tree  or  herb  of  the  field, 
through  all  the  land  of  Egypt.  Then  Pharaoh  called  for  Moses 
in  haste;  and  he  said,  "  I  have  sinned  against  Yahweh  your  God, 
and  against  you.  Now,  therefore,  forgive,  I  pray  thee,  my  sin 
only  this  once,  and  entreat  Yahweh  your  God,  that  he  may  take 
away  from  me  this  death  only."  And  he  went  out  from  Pha- 
raoh, and  entreated  Yahweh.  And  Yahweh  turned  an  exceed- 
ing strong  west  wind,  which  took  up  the  locusts,  and  drove  them 
into  the  Red  Sea;  there  remained  not  one  locust  in  all  the  border 
of  Egypt. 

And  Pharaoh  called  unto  Moses,  and  said,  "  Go  ye,  serve 
Yahweh;  only  let  your  flocks  and  your  herds  be  stayed :  let  your 
little  ones  also  go  with  you."  And  Moses  said,  "  Thou  must  also 
give  into  our  hand  sacrifices  and  burnt-offerings,  that  we  may 


74  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

sacrifice  unto  Yahweh  our  God.  Our  cattle  also  shall  go  with  us; 
there  shall  not  a  hoof  be  left  behind;  for  thereof  must  we  take 
to  serve  Yahweh  our  God ;  and  we  know  not  with  what  we  must 
serve  Yahweh,  until  we  come  thither."  And  Pharaoh  said  unto 
him,  "  Get  thee  from  me,  take  heed  to  thyself,  see  my  face  no 
more;  for  in  the  day  thou  seest  my  face  thou  shalt  die."  And 
Moses  said,  "  Thou  hast  spoken  well;  I  will  see  thy  face  again  no 
more." 


And  Moses  said,  "  Thus  saith  Yahweh,  About  midnight  will 
I  go  out  into  the  midst  of  Egypt:  and  all  the  firstborn  in  the 
land  of  Egypt  shall  die,  from  the  firstborn  of  Pharaoh  that 
sitteth  upon  his  throne,  even  unto  the  firstborn  of  the  maid- 
servant that  is  behind  the  mill;  and  all  the  firstborn  of  cattle. 
And  there  shall  be  a  great  cry  throughout  all  the  land  of  Egypt, 
such  as  there  hath  not  been,  nor  shall  be  any  more.  But  against 
any  of  the  children  of  Israel  shall  not  a  dog  move  his  tongue, 
against  man  or  beast :  that  ye  maj^  know  how  that  Yahweh  doth 
make  a  distinction  between  the  Egj^ptians  and  Israel.  And 
all  these  thy  servants  shall  come  down  unto  me,  and  bow  down 
themselves  unto  me,  saying,  Get  thee  out,  and  all  the  people  that 
follow  thee:  and  after  that  I  will  go  out."  And  he  went  out 
from  Pharaoh  in  hot  anger. 


And  it  came  to  pass  at  midnight,  that  Yahweh  smote  all  the 
firstborn  in  the  land  of  EgA^pt,  from  the  firstborn  of  Pharaoh 
that  sat  on  his  throne  unto  the  firstborn  of  the  captive  that  was 
in  the  dungeon;  and  all  the  firstborn  of  cattle.  And  Pharaoh 
rose  up  in  the  night,  he,  and  all  his  servants,  and  all  the  Egj'p- 
tians;  and  there  was  a  great  cry  in  Egypt;  for  there  was  not  a 
house  where  there  was  not  one  dead.  And  he  called  for  Moses 
by  night,  and  said,  "  Rise  up,  get  you  forth  from  among  m^^ 
people,  both  ye  and  the  children  of  Israel;  and  go,  serve  Yahweh, 
as  ye  have  said.  Take  both  your  flocks  and  your  herds,  as  ye 
have  said,  and  be  gone;  and  bless  me  also."  And  the  Egyptians 
were  urgent  upon  the  people,  to  send  them  out  of  the  land  in 
haste;  for  they  said,  "  We  are  all  dead  men."    And  the  people 


EXODUS  75 

took  their  dough  before  it  was  leavened,  their  kneading-troughs 
being  bound  up  in  their  clotlies  upon  their  shoulders. 

And  the  children  of  Israel  journeyed  from  Rameses  to  Suc- 
coth.  And  a  mixed  multitude  went  up  also  with  them;  and 
flocks,  and  herds,  even  very  much  cattle.  And  they  baked 
unleavened  cakes  of  the  dough  which  they  brought  forth  out  of 
Egypt;  for  it  was  not  leavened,  because  they  w^ere  thrust  out  of 
Egypt,  and  could  not  tarry,  neither  had  they  prepared  for  them- 
selves any  victual. 


And  Moses  said  unto  the  people,  "  This  day  ye  go  forth  in  the 
month  of  Ahib.  Seven  days  thou  shalt  eat  unleavened  bread, 
and  in  the  seventh  day  shall  be  a  feast  to  Yahweh.  Thou  shalt 
therefore,  keep  this  ordinance  in  its  season  from  year  to  year. 
''  And  it  shall  be,  when  Yahweh  shall  bring  thee  into  the  land 
of  the  Canaanite,  as  he  sware  unto  thee  and  to  thy  fathers,  and 
shall  give  it  thee,  that  thou  shalt  set  apart  unto  Yahweh  all  that 
openeth  the  womb,  and  every  firstling  which  thou  hast  that 
Cometh  of  a  beast;  the  males  shall  be  Yahweh's.  And  every 
firstling  of  an  ass  thou  shalt  redeem  with  a  lamb ;  and  if  thou  wilt 
not  redeem  it,  then  thou  shalt  break  its  neck:  and  all  the  first- 
born of  man  among  thy  sons  shalt  thou  redeem." 

And  Yahweh  went  before  them  by  day  in  a  pillar  of  cloud,  to 
lead  them  the  v/ay,  and  by  night  in  a  pillar  of  fire,  to  give  them 
light;  that  they  might  go  by  day  and  by  night:  the  pillar  of 
cloud  by  day,  and  the  pillar  of  fire  by  night,  departed  not  from 
before  the  people. 


And  it  was  told  the  king  of  Egypt  that  the  people  were  fled: 
and  the  heart  of  Pharaoh  and  of  his  servants  was  changed  to- 
wards the  people,  and  they  said,  "  What  is  this  we  have  done, 
that  we  have  let  Israel  go  from  serving  us?  "  And  he  made 
ready  his  chariot,  and  took  his  people  with  him. 

And  the  Egyptians  pursued  after  them. 
-'And  when  Pharaoh  drew  nigh,  the  children  of  Israel  lifted 
up  their  eyes,  and,  behold,  the  Egyptians  were  marching  after 
them;  and  they  were  sore  afraid:     And  they  said  unto  Moses, 


76  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

''  Because  there  were  no  graves  in  Egypt,  hast  thou  taken  us 
away  to  die  in  the  wilderness?  wherefore  hast  thou  dealt  thus  with 
us,  to  bring  us  forth  out  of  Egypt?  Is  not  this  the  word  that 
we  spake  unto  thee  in  Egypt,  saying,  let  us  alone,  that  we  may 
serve  the  Egyptians?  For  it  were  better  for  us  to  serve  the 
Egyptians,  than  that  we  should  die  in  the  wilderness."  And 
Moses  said  unto  the  people,  "  Fear  ye  not,  stand  still,  and  see 
the  salvation  of  Yahweh,  which  he  will  work  for  you  today: 
for  the  Egyptians  whom  ye  have  seen  today,  ye  shall  see  them 
again  no  more  forever.  Yahweh  will  fight  for  you,  and  ye  shall 
hold  your  peace."  And  the  pillar  of  cloud  removed  from  before 
them,  and  stood  behind  them:  and  there  was  the  cloud  and  the 
darkness,  yet  gave  it  light  by  night :  and  the  one  came  not  near 
the  other  all  the  night.  And  Yahweh  caused  the  sea  to  go  back 
by  a  strong  east  wind  all  the  night. 

And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  morning  watch,  that  Yahweh 
looked  forth  upon  the  host  of  the  Egyptians  through  the  pillar 
of  fire  and  of  cloud,  and  discomfited  the  host  of  the  Egyptians. 
And  he  took  off  their  chariot  wheels,  and  they  drove  them 
heavily;  so  that  the  Egyptians  said,  ''  Let  us  flee  from  the  face 
of  Israel:  for  Yahweh  fighteth  for  them  against  the  Egyptians." 

And  the  sea  returned  to  its  strength  when  the  morning  ap- 
peared; and  the  Egyptians  fled  against  it;  and  Yahweh  over- 
threw the  Egyptians  in  the  midst  of  the  sea.  There  remained 
not  so  much  as  one  of  them.  Thus  Yahweh  saved  Israel  that  day 
out  of  the  hand  of  the  Egyptians;  and  Israel  saw  the  Egyptians 
dead  upon  the  seashore. 


And  Moses  led  Israel  onward  from  the  Red  Sea,  and  they 
went  out  into  the  wilderness  of  Shur ;  and  they  went  three  days 
in  the  wilderness,  and  found  no  water.  And  when  they  came 
to  Marah,  they  could  not  drink  of  the  waters  of  Marah,  for  they 
were  bitter:  therefore,  the  name  of  it  was  called  Marah.  And 
the  people  murmured  against  Moses,  saying,  ''  What  shall  we 
drink?"  And  he  cried  unto  Yahweh,  and  Yahweh  showed  him  ^q 
tree,  and  he  cast  it  into  the  waters,  and  the  waters  were  made 
sweet. 

And  they  came  to  Elim,  where  were  twelve  springs  of  water, 


EXODUS  77 

and  threescore  and  ten  palm-trees :  and  they  encamped  there  by 
the  waters. 

And  the  people  thirsted  there  for  water;  and  the  people 
murmured  against  Moses,  and  said,  ''  Wherefore  hast  thou 
brought  us  up  out  of  Egypt,  to  kill  us  and  our  children  and  our 
cattle  with  thirst?  "  And  he  called  the  name  of  the  place  Massah, 
and  because  they  tempted  Yahweh,  saying,  "  Is  Yahweh  among 
us,  or  not?  " 

The  Story  of  the  Ten  Commandments 

And  Moses  went  up  and  Yahweh  called  unto  hun  out  of  the 
mountain,  saying,  "  Thus  shalt  thou  say  to  the  house  of  Jacob, 
and  tell  the  children  of  Israel:  Yahweh  will  come  down  in  the 
sight  of  all  the  people  upon  mount  Sinai.  And  thou  shalt  set 
bounds  unto  the  people  round  about,  sajdng,  "  Take  heed  to 
yourselves,  that  ye  go  not  up  into  the  mount,  or  touch  the  border 
of  it:  whosoever  toucheth  the  mount  shall  be  surely  put  to 
death:  no  hand  shall  touch  him,  but  he  shall  surely  be  stoned, 
or  shot  through;  whether  it  be  beast  or  man,  he  shall  not  hve." 

And  mount  Sinai,  the  whole  of  it,  smoked,  because  Yahweh 
descended  upon  it  in  fire;  and  the  smoke  thereof  ascended  as 
the  smoke  of  a  furnace,  and  the  whole  mount  quaked  greatly. 
And  Yahweh  came  down  upon  mount  Sinai,  to  the  top  of  the 
mount:  and  Yahweh  called  Moses  to  the  top  of  the  mount: 
and  Moses  went  up.  And  Yahweh  said  unto  Moses,  "  Go  down, 
charge  the  people,  lest  they  break  through  unto  Yahweh  to 
gaze,  and  many  of  them  perish.  And  let  the  priests  also,  that 
come  near  to  Yahweh  sanctify  themselves,  lest  Yahweh  break 
forth  upon  them." 

And  he  said  unto  Moses,  "  Come  up  unto  Yahweh,  thou  and 
seventy  of  the  elders  of  Israel;  and  worship  ye." 

Then  went  up  Moses,  and  seventy  of  the  elders  of  Israel: 
and  they  saw  the  God  of  Israel;  and  there  was  under  his  feet 
as  it  were  a  paved  work  of  sapphire  stone,  and  as  it  were  the 
very  heaven  for  clearness.     And  upon  the  nobles  of  the  children 


78  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

of  Israel  he  laid  not  his  hand:  and  they  beheld  God,  and  did 
eat  and  drink. 


And  when  Moses  saw  that  the  people  were  broken  loose,  then 
Moses  stood  in  the  gate  of  the  camp,  and  said,  "  Whoso  is  on 
Yahweh's  side,  let  him  come  unto  me."  And  all  the  sons  of 
Levi  gathered  themselves  together  unto  him.  And  he  said  unto 
them,  *'  Thus  saith  Yahweh  the  God  of  Israel,  '  Put  ye  evevy 
man  his  sword  upon  his  thigh,  and  go  to  and  fro  from  gate  to 
gate  throughout  the  camp,  and  slay  every  man  his  brother,  and 
every  man  his  companion,  and  everj''  man  his  neighbor.'  And 
the  sons  of  Levi  did  according  to  the  word  of  Moses:  and  there 
fell  of  the  people  that  day  about  three  thousand  men."  And 
Moses  said,  "  Consecrate  yourselves  to  Yahweh,  ye^,  every  man 
against  his  son,  and  against  his  brother;  that  he  maj'  bestow 
upon  you  a  blessing  this  day." 


And  Yahweh  spake  unto  Moses,  "  Depart,  go  up  hence,  thou 
and  the  people  that  thou  hast  brought  up  out  of  the  land  of 
Egypt,  unto  the  land  of  which  I  sware  unto  Abram,  to  Isaac, 
and  to  Jacob,  saying,  Unto  thy  seed  will  I  give  it:  and  I  will  send 
an  angel  before  thee;  and  I  will  drive  out  the  Canaanite,  the 
Amorite,  and  the  Hittite,  and  the  Perizzite,  the  Hi\nte,  and  the 
Jcbusite:  unto  a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honej'':  for  I  will 
not  go  up  in  the  midst  of  thee;  for  thou  art  a  stiffnecked  people; 
lest  I  consume  thee  in  the  way." 

And  when  the  people  heard  these  evil  tidings  they  mourned: 
and  no  man  did  put  on  him  his  ornaments. 


And  Yahweh  said  unto  Moses,  "  Hew  thee  two  tables  of  stone: 
and  I  will  write  upon  the  tables  the  words  that  were  on  the  first 
tables.  And  be  ready  by  the  morning,  and  come  up  in  the  morn- 
ing unto  mount  Sinai,  and  present  thj'self  there  to  me  on  the 
top  of  the  mount.  And  no  man  shall  come  up  with  thee;  neither 
let  any  man  be  seen  throughout  all  the  mount;  neither  let  the 
flocks  nor  herds  feed  before  that  mount."     And  he  hewed  two 


EXODUS  79 

tables  of  stone;  and  Moses  rose  up  early  in  the  morning,  and 
went  up  unto  mount  Sinai,  as  Yahweh  had  commanded  him,  and 
took  in  his  hand  two  tables  of  stone.  And  Yahweh  descended 
in  the  cloud,  and  stood  with  him  there,  and  proclaimed  the  name 
of  Yahweh. 

And  he  said,  '^  Behold,  I  make  a  covenant;  for  Yahweh,  whose 
name  is  Jealous,  is  a  jealous  God.  Thou  shalt  make  thee  no 
molten  gods. 

The  feast  of  unleavened  bread  shalt  thou  keep.  Seven  days 
thou  shalt  eat  unleavened  bread.  All  that  openeth  the  womb  is 
mine;  and  all  thy  cattle  that  is  male,  the  firstlings  of  cow  and 
sheep.  And  the  firstling  of  an  ass  thou  shalt  redeem  with  a 
lamb :  and  if  thou  wilt  not  redeem  it,  then  thou  shalt  break  its 
neck.  All  the  first-born  of  thy  sons  thou  shalt  redeem.  And 
none  shall  appear  before  me  empty. 

Six  days  thou  shalt  work,  but  on  the  seventh  day  thou  shalt 
rest:  in  plowing  time  and  in  harvest  thou  shalt  rest.  And  thou 
shalt  observe  the  feast  of  weeks,  even  of  the  first-fruits  of  wheat 
harvest,  and  the  feast  of  ingathering  at  the  year's  end.  Three 
times  in  the  year  shall  all  thy  males  appear  before  Yahweh,  the 
God  of  Israel. 

Thou  shalt  not  offer  the  blood  of  my  sacrifice  with  leavened 
bread.  The  first  of  the  first-fruits  of  thy  ground  thou  shalt 
bring  unto  the  house  of  Yahweh  thy  God.  Thou  shalt  not  boil 
a  kid  in  its  mother's  milk." 

And  Yahweh  said  unto  Moses,  "Write  thou  these  words: 
for  after  the  tenor  of  these  words  I  have  made  a  covenant  with 
thee  and  with  Israel."  And  he  was  there  with  Yahweh  forty 
days  and  forty  nights;  he  did  neither  eat  bread,  nor  drink  water. 
And  he  wrote  upon  the  tables  the  words  of  the  covenant,  the 
Ten  Commandments. 


NUMBERS 


NUMBERS 

The  Story  of  the  Quails 

And  Moses  said  unto  Hobab,  the  son  of  Reuel  the  Midian- 
ite,  Moses'  father-in-law,  "  We  are  journeying  unto  the  place 
of  which  Yahweh  said,  '  I  will  give  it  you:  come  thou  with  us, 
and  we  will  do  thee  good ; '  for  Yahweh  hath  spoken  good  con- 
cerning Israel."  And  he  said  unto  him,  "  I  will  not  go;  but  I 
will  depart  to  mine  own  land,  and  to  my  kindred."  And  he 
said,  "  Leave  us  not,  I  pray  thee;  forasmuch  as  thou  knowest 
how  we  are  to  encamp  in  the  wilderness,  and  thou  shalt  be  to 
us  instead  of  eyes.  And  it  shall  be,  if  thou  go  with  us,  yea, 
it  shall  be,  that  what  good  soever  Yahweh  shall  do  unto  us, 
the  same  will  we  do  unto  thee." 

And  the  mixed  multitude  that  was  among  them  lusted  ex- 
ceedingly: and  the  children  of  Israel  also  wept  again,  and  said, 
"  Who  shall  give  us  flesh  to  eat?  We  remember  the  fish,  which 
we  did  eat  in  Egypt  for  nought;  the  cucumbers,  and  the  melons, 
and  the  leeks,  and  the  onions,  and  the  garlic:  but  now  our  soul 
is  dried  away;  there  is  nothing  at  all  save  this  manna  to  look 
upon."  And  the  manna  was  like  coriander  seed,  and  the  ap- 
pearance thereof  as  the  appearance  of  bdellium.  The  people 
went  about,  and  gathered  it  and  ground  it  in  mills,  or  beat  it 
in  mortars,  and  boiled  it  in  pots,  and  made  cakes  of  it:  and 
the  taste  of  it  was  as  the  taste  of  fresh  oil.  And  when  the  dew 
fell  upon  the  camp  in  the  night,  the  manna  fell  upon  it. 

And  Moses  heard  the  people  weeping  throughout  their  families, 
every  man  at  the  door  of  his  tent :  and  the  anger  of  Yahweh  was 
kindled  greatly;  and  Moses  w^as  displeased.  And  Moses  said 
unto  Yahweh,  "  Wherefore  hast  thou  dealt  ill  with  thy  servant? 
and  wherefore  have  I  not  found  favour  in  thy  sight,  that  thou 
layest  the  burden  of  all  this  people  upon  me?  Have  I  conceived 
all  this  people?  Have  I  brought  them  forth,  that  thou  should- 
est  say  unto  me, '  Carry  them  in  thy  bosom,  as  a  nursing-father 


84  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

carrieth  the  sucking  child,  unto  the  land  which  thou  swarest 
unto  their  fathers?  '  Whence  should  I  have  flesh  to  give  unto 
all  this  people?  for  they  weep  unto  me,  saying,  '  Give  us  flesh, 
that  we  may  eat.'  I  am  not  able  to  bear  all  this  people  alone, 
because  it  is  too  heavy  for  me.  And  if  thou  deal  thus  with  me, 
kill  me,  I  pray  thee,  out  of  hand,  if  I  have  found  favour  in  thj^ 
sight;  and  let  me  not  see  my  wretchedness." 

And  Yah  well  said  unto  Moses,  "  Say  thou  unto  the  people, 
Sanctify  yourselves  against  tomorrow,  and  ye  shall  eat  flesh; 
for  ye  have  wept  in  the  ears  of  Yahweh,  saying,  '  Who  shall  give 
us  flesh  to  eat?  for  it  was  well  with  us  in  Egypt:  therefore 
Yahweh  will  give  you  flesh,  and  ye  shall  eat.  Ye  shall  not  eat 
one  day,  nor  two  days,  nor  five  days,  neither  ten  days,  nor 
twenty  days,  but  a  whole  month,  until  it  come  out  at  your 
nostrils,  and  it  be  loathsome  unto  you;  because  that  ye  have 
rejected  Yahweh  who  is  among  you,  and  have  wept  before 
him,  saying,  '  Why  came  we  forth  out  of  Egypt? ' "  And 
Moses  said,  "  The  people,  among  whom  I  am,  are  six  hundred 
thousand  footmen:  and  thou  hast  said,  I  will  give  them  flesh, 
that  the}^  may  eat  a  whole  month.  Shall  flocks  and  herds 
be  slain  for  them,  to  suffice  them?  or  shall  all  the  fish  of  the 
sea  be  gathered  together  for  them,  to  suffice  them?  And  Yah- 
weh said  unto  Moses,  "  Is  Yahweh's  hand  waxed  short?  now 
shalt  thou  see  whether  my  word  shall  come  to  pass  unto  thee  or 
not." 

And  Moses  went  out,  and  told  the  people  the  words  of 
Yahweh. 

And  there  went  forth  a  wind  from  Yahweh,  and  brought 
quails  from  the  sea,  and  let  them  fall  by  the  camp,  about  a 
day's  journey  on  this  side,  and  a  day's  journey  on  the  other  side, 
round  about  the  camp,  and  about  two  cubits  above  the  face  of 
the  earth.  And  the  people  rose  up  all  that  day,  and  all  the 
night,  and  all  the  next  daj^,  and  gatliered  the  quails:  he  that 
gathered  least  gathered  ten  homers:  and  thej^  spread  them  all 
abroad  for  themselves  round  about  the  camp.  While  the  flesh 
was  yet  between  their  teeth,  ere  it  was  chewed,  the  anger  of 
Yahweh  was  kindled  against  the  people,  and  Yahweh  smote  the 
people  with  a  very  great  plague.  And  the  name  of  that  place 
was    called    Kibroth-hattaavah,    because   there    they    buried 


NUMBERS  85 

the  people  that  lusted.    From  Kibroth-hattaavah  the  people 
journeyed  unto  Hazeroth;  and  they  abode  at  Hazeroth. 


Moses  said  unto  the  spies,  "  Get  you  up  this  way  by  the  South, 
and  go  up  into  the  hill-countr}^;  and  see  the  land,  what  it  is; 
and  the  people  that  dwell  therein,  whether  they  are  strong  or 
weak,  whether  they  are  few  or  many;  and  what  the  land  is  that 
they  dwell  in,  whether  it  is  good  or  bad;  and  what  cities  they 
are  that  they  dwell  in,  whether  in  camps,  or  in  strongholds; 
and  what  the  land  is,  whether  it  is  fat  or  lean,  whether  there  is 
wood  therein,  or  not.  And  be  ye  of  good  courage,  and  bring 
of  the  fruit  of  the  land.  Now  the  time  was  the  time  of  the  first- 
ripe  grapes. 

And  they  went  up  by  the  South,  and  came  unto  Hebron; 
and  Ahiman,  Sheshai,  and  Talmai,  the  children  of  Anak,  were 
there.  (Now  Hebron  was  built  seven  years  before  Zoan  in 
Egypt.)  And  they  came  unto  the  valley  of  Eshcol,  and  cut 
down  from  thence  a  branch  with  one  cluster  of  grapes,  and  they 
bare  it  upon  a  staff  between  two ;  they  brought  also  of  the  pome- 
granates, and  of  the  figs.  That  place  was  called  the  valley  of 
Eshcol,  because  of  the  cluster  which  the  children  of  Israel  cut 
down  from  thence. 

Thej^  returned  to  Kadesh;  and  brought  back  word  unto  them, 
and  unto  all  the  congregation,  and  showed  them  the  fruit  of 
the  land.  And  they  told  him,  and  said,  "  We  came  unto  the 
land  whither  thou  sentest  us;  and  surely  it  floweth  with  milk 
and  honey;  and  this  is  the  fruit  of  it.  Howbeit  the  people  that 
dwell  in  the  land  are  strong,  and  the  cities  are  fortified,  and  very 
great :  and  moreover  we  saw  the  children  of  Anak  there.  Amalek 
dwelleth  in  the  land  of  the  South;  and  the  Hittite,  and 
the  Jebusite,  and  the  Amorite,  dwell  in  the  hill-country;  and  the 
Canaanite  dwelleth  by  the  sea,  and  along  by  the  side  of 
the  Jordan." 

And  Caleb  stilled  the  people  before  Moses,  and  said,  "  Let  us 
go  up  at  once,  and  possess  it;  for  we  are  well  able  to  overcome 
it."  But  the  men  that  went  up  with  him  said,  "  We  are  not 
able  to  go  up  against  the  people;  for  they  are  stronger  than  we. 
all  the  people  that  we  saw  in  it  are  men  of  great  stature. 


86  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  there  we  saw  the  Nephihm,  the  sons  of  Anak,  who  come  of 
the  Nephihm:  and  we  were  in  our  own  sight  as  grasshoppers,  and 
so  we  were  in  their  sight." 


And  the  people  wept  that  night. 

And  wherefore  doth  Yahweh  bring  us  unto  this  land,  to  fall 
by  the  sword?  Our  wives  and  our  little  ones  will  be  a  prej^: 
were  it  not  better  for  us  to  return  into  Egypt?  " 

And  the}^  said  one  to  another,  "  Let  us  make  a  captain,  and 
let  us  return  into  Egypt.  If  Yahweh  delight  in  us,  then  he  will 
bring  us  into  this  land,  and  give  it  unto  us;  a  land  w^hich  floweth 
with  milk  and  honey.  Only  rebel  not  against  Yahweh,  neither 
fear  ye  the  people  of  the  land;  for  they  are  bread  for  us:  their 
defence  is  removed  from  over  them,  and  Yahweh  is  with  us: 
fear  them  not." 

And  Yahweh  said  unto  Moses,  "  How  long  will  this  people 
despise  me?  and  how  long  will  they  not  believe  in  me,  for  all 
the  signs  which  I  have  wrought  among  them?  I  will  smite 
them  with  the  pestilence,  and  disinherit  them,  and  will  make 
of  thee  a  nation  greater  and  mightier  than  they." 

And  Moses  said  unto  Yahweh,  "  Then  the  Egyptians  will  hear 
it;  for  thou  broughtest  up  this  people  in  thy  might  from  among 
them;  and  they  will  tell  it  to  the  inhabitants  of  this  land:  they 
have  heard  that  thou  Yahweh  art  in  the  midst  of  this  people; 
for  thou  Yahweh  art  seen  face  to  face,  and  thy  cloud  standeth 
over  them,  and  thou  goest  before  them,  in  a  pillar  of  cloud  by 
day,  and  in  a  pillar  of  fire  by  night.  Now  if  thou  shalt  kill  this 
people  as  one  man,  then  the  nations  which  have  heard  the  fame 
of  thee  will  speak,  saying,  ''  Because  Yahweh  was  not  able  to 
bring  this  people  into  the  land  which  he  sware  unto  them,  there- 
fore he  hath  slain  them  in  the  wilderness.  And  now,  I  pray 
thee,  let  the  power  of  Yahweh  be  great,  according  as  thou  hast 
spoken,  saying,  '  Yahweh  is  slow  to  anger,  and  abundant  in 
lovingkindness,  forgiving  iniquity  and  transgression;  and  that 
will  by  no  means  clear  the  guilty,  visiting  the  iniquity  of  the 
fathers  upon  the  children,  upon  the  third  and  upon  the  fourth 
generation.  Pardon,  I  pray  thee,  the  iniquity  of  this  people 
according  unto  the  greatness  of  thy  lovingkindness,  and  accord- 


NUMBERS  87 

ing  as  thou  hast  forgiven  this  people,  from  Egypt  even  until 
now.'  " 

And  Yahweh  said,  ''  I  have  pardoned  according  to  thy  word: 
but  in  very  deed,  as  I  live,  and  as  all  the  earth  shall  be  filled  with 
the  glorj^  of  Yahweh;  because  all  those  men  that  have  seen  my 
glor}^,  and  my  signs,  which  I  wrought  in  Egypt  and  in  the  wilder- 
ness, yet  have  tempted  me  these  ten  times,  and  have  not  heark- 
ened to  my  voice;  surely  thej^  shall  not  see  the  land  which  I 
sware  unto  their  fathers,  neither  shall  any  of  them  that  despised 
me  see  it:  but  my  servant  Caleb,  because  he  had  another  spirit 
with  him,  and  hath  followed  me  fully,  him  will  I  bring  into  the 
land  whereinto  he  went ;  and  his  seed  shall  possess  it.  Now  the 
Amalekite  and  the  Canaanite  dwell  in  the  valley:  tomorrow- 
turn  ye,  and  get  you  into  the  wilderness  by  the  way  to  the  Red 
Sea.  But  your  little  ones,  that  ye  said  should  be  a  prey,  them 
will  I  bring  in,  and  they  shall  know  the  land  which  ye  have  re- 
jected. But  as  for  you,  your  dead  bodies  shall  fall  in  this 
wilderness." 

And  Moses  told  these  words  unto  all  the  children  of  Israel: 
and  the  people  mourned  greatly.  And  they  rose  up  early  in  the 
morning,  and  gat  them  up  to  the  top  of  the  mountain,  saying, 
"Lo,  we  are  here,  and  will  go  up  unto  the  place  which  Yahweh 
hath  promised:  for  we  have  sinned.  And  Moses  said,  *'  AVhere- 
fore  now  do  ye  transgress  the  commandment  of  Yahv/eh,  seeing 
it  shall  not  prosper?  Go  not  up,  for  Yahweh  is  not  among  you ; 
that  ye  be  not  smitten  down  before  your  enemies.  For  there 
the  Amalekite  and  the  Canaanite  are  before  you,  and  ye  shall 
fall  bj^  the  sword:  because  ye  are  turned  back  from  following 
Yahweh,  therefore  Yahweh  will  not  be  with  you."  But  they 
presumed  to  go  up  to  the  top  of  the  mountain :  nevertheless  the 
ark  of  the  covenant  of  Yahweh,  and  Moses,  departed  not  out  of 
the  camp.  Then  the  Amalekite  came  down,  and  the  Canaanite 
who  dwelt  in  that  mountain,  and  smote  them  and  beat  them 
down,  even  unto  Hormah. 


Dathan  and  Abiram,  the  sons  of  Eliab,  and  On,  the  son  of 
Peleth,  sons  of  Reuben,  took  men. 
And  Moses  sent  to  call  Dathan  and  Abiram,  the  sons  of  Eliab; 


88  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

and  they  said,  ''  We  will  not  come  up:  is  it  a  small  thing  that 
thou  hast  brought  us  up  out  of  a  land  flowing  with  milk  and 
honey,  to  kill  us  in  the  wilderness,  but  thou  must  needs  make 
thyself  also  a  prince  over  us?  Moreover  thou  hast  not  brought 
us  into  a  land  flowing  with  milk  and  honey,  nor  given  us  inheri- 
tance of  fields  and  vineyards:  wilt  thou  put  out  the  eyes  of  these 
men?  we  will  not  come  up." 

And  Moses  was  very  wroth,  and  said  unto  Yahweh,  "  Respect 
not  thou  their  offering:  I  have  not  taken  one  ass  from  them, 
neither  have  I  hurt  one  of  them." 

And  Moses  rose  up  and  went  unto  Dathan  and  Abiram;  and 
the  elders  of  Israel  followed  him.  And  he  spake  unto  the  con- 
gregation, saying,  "  Depart,  I  pray  you,  from  the  tents  of  these 
wicked  men,  and  touch  nothing  of  theirs,  lest  ye  be  consumed  in 
all  their  sins." 

And  Dathan  and  Abiram  came  out,  and  stood  at  the  door  of 
their  tents,  and  their  wives,  and  their  sons,  and  their  little  ones. 
And  Moses  said,  ''  Hereby  ye  shall  know  that  Yahweh  hath  set 
me  to  do  all  these  works;  for  /  have  not  done  them  of  mine  own 
mind.  If  these  men  die  the  common  death  of  all  men,  or  if  they 
be  visited  after  the  visitation  of  all  men;  then  Yahweh  hath 
not  sent  me.  But  if  Yahweh  make  a  new  thing,  and  the  ground 
open  its  mouth,  and  swallow  them  up,  with  all  that  appertain 
unto  them,  and  they  go  down  alive  into  Sheol;  then  ye  shall 
understand  that  these  men  have  despised  Yahweh." 

And  it  came  to  pass,  as  he  made  an  end  of  speaking  all  these 
words,  that  the  ground  clave  asunder  that  was  under  them; 
and  the  earth  opened  its  mouth,  and  swallowed  them  up,  and 
their  households,  and  so  they,  and  all  that  appertained  to  them, 
went  down  alive  into  Sheol:  and  the  earth  closed  upon  them, 
and  they  perished  from  among  the  assembly.  And  all  Israel 
that  were  round  about  them  fled  at  the  crj^  of  them;  for  they 
said,  ''  Lest  the  earth  swallow  us  up." 


And  the  children  of  Israel,  even  the  whole  congregation,  came 
into  the  wilderness  of  Zin  in  the  first  month:  and  the  people 
abode  in  Kadesh;  and  Miriam  died  there,  and  was  buried  there. 

And  there  was  no  water  for  the  congregation:   and  thej^  as- 


NUMBERS  89 

sembled  themselves  together  agamst  Moses  and  against  Aaron. 
And  the  people  strove  with  Moses,  and  spake,  saying,  ''  Would 
that  we  had  died  when  our  brethren  died  before  Yahweh!  And 
why  have  ye  brought  the  assembly  of  Yahweh  into  this  wilder- 
ness, that  we  should  die  there,  we  and  our  beasts?  And  where- 
fore have  ye  made  us  to  come  up  out  of  Egypt,  to  bring  us  in 
unto  this  evil  place?  it  is  no  place  of  seed,  or  of  figs,  or  of  vines, 
or  of  pomegranates;  neither  is  there  any  water  to  drink."  And 
Moses  and  Aaron  went  from  the  presence  of  the  assembly  unto 
the  door  of  the  tent  of  meeting,  and  fell  upon  their  faces:  and 
the  glory  of  Yahweh  appeared  unto  them.  And  Yahweh  spake 
unto  Moses,  saying,  ''  Take  the  rod,  and  assemble  the  congrega- 
tion, thou,  and  Aaron  thy  brother,  and  speak  ye  unto  the  rock 
before  their  eyes,  that  it  give  forth  its  water;  and  thou  shalt 
bring  forth  to  them  water  out  of  the  rock;  so  thou  shalt  give  the 
congregation  and  their  cattle  drink."  And  Moses  took  the  rod 
from  before  Yahweh,  as  he  commanded  him. 

And  Moses  and  Aaron  gathered  the  assembly  together  before 
the  rock,  and  he  said  unto  them,  "  Hear  now,  ye  rebels;  shall  we 
bring  you  forth  water  out  of  this  rock?  "  And  Moses  lifted  up 
his  hand,  and  smote  the  rock  wdth  his  rod  twice:  and  water 
came  forth  abundantly,  and  the  congregation  drank,  and  their 
cattle.  And  Yahweh  said  unto  Moses  and  Aaron,  "  Because  ye 
believed  not  in  me,  to  sanctify  me  in  the  eyes  of  the  children  of 
Israel,  therefore  ye  shall  not  bring  this  assembly  into  the  land 
w^hich  I  have  given  them.  These  are  the  waters  of  Meribah; 
because  the  children  of  Israel  strove  with  Yahweh,  and  he  was 
sanctified  in  them." 

And  Moses  sent  messengers  from  Kadesh  unto  the  king  of 
Edom,  "  Thus  saith  thy  brother  Israel,  Thou  knowest  all  the 
travail  that  hath  befallen  us:  how  our  fathers  went  down  into 
Egj^pt,  and  we  dwelt  in  Egypt  a  long  time;  and  the  Egyptians 
dealt  ill  with  us,  and  our  fathers :  and  when  we  cried  unto  Yah- 
weh, he  heard  our  voice,  and  sent  an  angel,  and  brought  us  forth 
out  of  Egypt:  and,  behold,  we  are  in  Kadesh,  a  city  in  the  utter- 
most of  thy  border.  Let  us  pass,  I  pray  thee,  through  thy  land: 
we  will  not  pass  through  field  or  through  vineyard,  neither  will 
we  drink  of  the  water  of  the  wells;  we  will  go  along  the  king's 
highway;   we  will  not  turn  aside  to  the  right  hand  nor  to  the 


90  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

left,  until  we  have  passed  thj^  border."  And  Edom  said  unto 
him,  "  Thou  shalt  not  pass  through  me,  lest  I  come  out  with  the 
sword  against  thee."  And  the  children  of  Israel  said  unto  him, 
''  We  will  go  up  by  the  highway;  and  if  Ave  drink  of  thy  water,  I 
and  my  cattle,  then  will  I  give  the  price  thereof:  let  me  only, 
without  doing  anything  else,  pass  through  on  my  feet."  And  he 
said,  "  Thou  shalt  not  pass  through."  And  Edom  came  out 
against  him  with  much  people  and  with  a  strong  hand.  Thus 
Edom  refused  to  give  Israel  passage  through  his  border:  where- 
fore Israel  turned  away  from  him. 


And  the  Canaanite,  the  king  of  Arad,  who  dwelt  in  the  South, 
heard  tell  that  Israel  came  by  the  way  of  Atharim ;  and  he  fought 
against  Israel,  and  took  some  of  them  captive.  And  Israel 
vowed  a  vow  unto  Yahweh,and  said, "  If  thou  wilt  indeed  deliver 
this  people  into  my  hand,  then  I  will  utterly  destroy  their 
cities?"  And  Yahweh  hearkened  to  the  voice  of  Israel,  and  de- 
livered up  the  Canaanites ;  and  they  utterly  destroyed  them  and 
their  cities:  and  the  name  of  the  place  was  called  Hormah. 

And  Israel  sent  messengers  unto  Sihon  king  of  the  Amorites, 
saying,  "  Let  me  pass  through  th}^  land:  we  vnW  not  turn  aside 
into  field,  or  into  vineyard;  we  will  not  drink  of  the  water  of  the 
wells:  we  will  go  by  the  king's  highway,  until  we  have  passed 
thy  border."  And  Sihon  would  not  suffer  Israel  to  pass  through 
his  border :  but  Sihon  gathered  all  his  people  together,  and  went 
out  against  Israel  into  the  wilderness,  and  came  to  Jahaz; 
and  he  fought  against  Israel.  And  Israel  smote  him  with  the 
edge  of  the  sword,  and  possessed  his  land  from  the  Arnon  unto 
the  Jabbok,  even  unto  the  children  of  Ammon;  for  the  border  of 
the  children  of  Ammon  was  strong.  And  Israel  took  all  these 
cities :  and  Israel  dwelt  in  all  the  cities  of  the  Amorites,  in  Hesh- 
bon,  and  in  all  the  towns  thereof.  For  Heshbon  was  the  city  of 
Sihon  the  king  of  the  Amorites,  who  had  fought  against  the  for- 
mer king  of  Moal),  and  taken  all  his  land  out  of  his  hand,  even 
unto  the  Arnon.     Wherefore  they  that  speak  in  proverbs  saj'', 

"  Come  ye  to  Heshbon; 
Let  the  cit}^  of  Sihon  be  built  and  established : 
For  a  fire  is  gone  out  of  Heshbon, 


NUMBERS  91 

A  flame  from  the  citj^  of  Sihon : 

It  hath  devoured  Ar  of  Moab, 

The  lords  of  the  high  places  of  the  Arnon. 

Woe  to  thee,  Moab! 

Thou  art  undone,  0  people  of  Chemosh: 

He  hath  given  his  sons  as  fugitives, 

And  his  daughters  into  captivity. 

Unto  Sihon  king  of  the  Amorites. 

AVe  have  shot  at  them;  Heshbon  is  perished  even  unto  Dibon, 

And  we  have  laid  waste  even  unto  Nophah, 

Which  reacheth  unto  Medeba." 
Thus  Israel  dwelt  in  the  land  of  the  Amorites.     And  Moses 
sent  to  spy  out  Jazer;  and  they  took  the  towns  thereof,  and  drove 
out  the  Amorites  that  were  there. 


The  Story  of  Balaam 

And  Balak  the  son  of  Zippor  saw  all  that  Israel  had  done  to 
the  Amorites.  And  Moab  was  sore  afraid  of  the  people,  because 
they  were  many:  and  Moab  was  distressed  because  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel.  And  Moab  said  unto  the  elders  of  Midian, 
'*  Now  will  this  multitude  lick  up  all  that  is  round  about  us,  as 
the  ox  licketh  up  the  grass  of  the  field."  x\nd  Balak  the  son  of 
Zippor  was  king  of  Moab  at  that  time.  And  he  sent  messengers 
unto  Balaam  the  son  of  Beor,  to  Pethor,  which  is  by  the  River, 
to  the  land  of  the  children  of  his  people,  to  call  him,  saying, 
''Behold,  there  is  a  people  come  out  from  Egypt:  behold, 
they  cover  the  face  of  the  earth,  and  they  abide  over  against  me. 
Come  now,  therefore,  I  pray  thee,  curse  me  this  people;  for 
they  are  too  mightj^  for  me:  perad venture  I  shall  prevail,  that 
we  may  smite  them,  and  that  I  may  drive  them  out  of  the  land; 
for  I  know  that  he  whom  thou  blessest  is  blessed,  and  he  whom 
thou  cursest  is  cursed." 

And  the  elders  of  Moab  and  the  elders  of  Midian  departed 
witli  the  rewards  of  divination  in  their  hand;  and  they  came 
unto  Balaam,  and  spake  unto  him  the  words  of  Balak.  And  he 
said  unto  them,  "  Lodge  here  this  night,  and  I  will  bring  you 
word  again,  as  Yahweh  shall  speak  unto  me :  and  the  princes  of 
Moab  abode  with  Balaam."  And  God  came  unto  Balaam,  and 
said,  "  What  men  are  these  with  thee?  "    And  Balaam  said 


92  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

unto  God,  ''  Balak  the  son  of  Zippor,  king  of  Moab,  hath  sent 
unto  me,  saying, '  Behold,  the  people  that  is  come  out  of  Egypt, 
it  covereth  the  face  of  the  earth:  now,  come  curse  me  them; 
peradventure  I  shall  be  able  to  fight  against  them,  and  shall 
drive  them  out.'  And  God  said  unto  Balaam,  "  Thou  shalt  not 
go  with  them;  thou  shalt  not  curse  the  people;  for  they  are 
blessed."  And  Balaam  rose  up  in  the  morning,  and  said  unto  the 
princes  of  Balak,  "  Get  j^ou  into  your  land;  for  Yahweh  refuseth 
to  give  me  leave  to  go  with  you."  And  the  princes  of  Moab 
rose  up,  and  they  went  unto  Balak,  and  said,  ''  Balaam  refuseth 
to  come  with  us." 

And  Balak  sent  3^et  again  princes,  more,  and  more  honorable 
than  they.  And  they  came  to  Balaam,  and  said  to  him,  "  Thus 
saith  Balak  the  son  of  Zippor,  Let  nothing,  I  pray  thee,  hinder 
thee  from  coming  unto  me:  for  I  will  promote  thee  unto  very 
great  honor,  and  whatsoever  thou  sayest  unto  me  I  will  do: 
come  therefore,  I  pray  thee,  curse  me  this  people."  And 
Balaam  answered  and  said  unto  the  servants  of  Balak,  "  If 
Balak  would  give  me  his  house  full  of  silver  and  gold,  I  cannot 
go  beyond  the  word  of  Yahweh  my  God,  to  do  less  or  more. 
Now  therefore,  I  pray  you,  tarry  ye  also  here  this  night,  that  I 
may  know  what  Yahweh  will  speak  unto  me  more."  And  God 
came  unto  Balaam  at  night,  and  said  unto  him,  "  If  the  men  are 
come  to  call  thee,  rise  up,  go  with  them;  but  onh--  the  word 
which  I  speak  unto  thee,  that  shalt  thou  do." 

And  Balaam  rose  up  in  the  morning,  and  saddled  his  ass,  and 
went  with  the  princes  of  Moab.  And  God's  anger  was  kindled 
because  lie  went;  and  the  angel  of  Yahweh  placed  himself  in  the 
way  for  an  adversary'  against  him.  Now  he  was  riding  upon  his 
ass,  and  his  two  servants  were  with  him.  And  the  ass  saw  the 
angel  of  Yaliweh  stcunding  in  the  waj',  with  his  sword  drawn  in 
his  hand;  and  the  ass  turned  aside  out  of  the  way,  and  went 
into  the  field:  and  Balaam  smote  the  ass,  to  turn  her  into  the 
way.  Then  the  angel  of  Yaliweh  stood  in  a  narrow  path  between 
the  vineyards,  a  wall  being  on  this  side,  and  a  wall  on  that  side. 
And  the  ass  saw  the  angel  of  Yahweh,  and  she  thrust  herself  unto 
the  wall,  and  crushed  Balaam's  foot  against  the  wall:  and  he 
smote  her  again.  And  the  angel  of  Yahweh  went  further,  and 
stood  in  a  narrow  place,  where  was  no  way  to  turn  either  to  the 


NUMBERS  93 

right  hand  or  to  the  left.  And  the  ass  saw  the  angel  of  Yahweh, 
and  she  lay  down  under  Balaam:  and  Balaam's  anger  was 
kindled,  and  he  smote  the  ass  with  his  staff.  And  Yahweh 
opened  the  mouth  of  the  ass,  and  she  said  unto  Balaam,  "  What 
have  I  done  unto  thee,  that  thou  hast  smitten  me  these  three 
times?  "  And  Balaam  said  unto  the  ass,  ''  Because  thou  hast 
mocked  me:  I  would  there  were  a  sword  in  my  hand,  for  now  I 
had  killed  thee."  And  the  ass  said  unto  Balaam,  "  Am  not  I 
thine  ass,  upon  which  thou  hast  ridden  all  thy  life  long  unto  this 
day?  was  I  ever  wont  to  do  so  unto  thee?  "    And  he  said,  ''Nay." 

Then  Yahweh  opened  the  eyes  of  Balaam,  and  he  saw  the 
angel  of  Yahweh  standing  in  the  way,  with  his  sword  drawn  in 
his  hand;  and  he  bowed  his  head,  and  fell  on  his  face.  And 
the  angel  of  Yahweh  said  unto  him,  "  Wherefore  hast  thou  smit- 
ten thine  ass  these  three  times?  behold,  I  am  come  forth  for  an 
adversary,  because  thy  way  is  perverse  before  me:  and  the  ass 
saw  me,  and  turned  aside  before  me  these  three  times:  unless 
she  had  turned  aside  from  me,  surely  now  I  had  even  slain  thee, 
and  saved  her  alive."  And  Balaam  said  unto  the  angel  of 
Yahweh,  "  I  have  sinned;  for  I  knew  not  that  thou  stoodest  in 
the  way  against  me:  now,  therefore,  if  it  displease  thee,  I  will 
get  me  back  again."  And  the  angel  of  Yahweh  said  unto  Ba- 
laam, "  Go  with  the  men;  but  only  the  word  that  I  shall  speak 
unto  thee,  that  thou  shalt  speak."  So  Balaam  went  with  the 
princes  of  Balak. 

And  when  Balak  heard  that  Balaam  was  come,  he  went  out 
to  meet  him  unto  the  City  of  Moab,  which  is  on  the  border  of 
the  Arnon,  which  is  in  the  utmost  part  of  the  border.  And 
Balak  said  unto  Balaam,  ''  Did  I  not  earnestly  send  unto  thee  to 
call  thee?  wherefore  camest  thou  not  unto  me?  am  I  not  able 
indeed  to  promote  thee  to  honor?  "  And  Balaam  said  unto 
Balak,  "  Lo,  I  am  come  unto  thee:  have  I  now  any  power  at  all 
to  speak  any  thing?  the  word  that  God  putteth  in  my  mouth, 
that  shall  I  speak."  And  Balaam  went  with  Balak,  and  they 
came  unto  Kiriath-huzoth.  And  Balak  sacrificed  oxen  and  sheep, 
and  sent  to  Balaam,  and  to  the  princes  that  were  with  him. 

And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  morning,  that  Balak  took  Balaam, 
and  brought  him  up  into  the  high  places  of  Baal;  and  he  saw 
from  thence  the  utmost  part  of  the  people.  .  .  .  And  Balaam  said 


94  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

unto  Balak,  Build  nie  here  seven  altars,  and  prepare  me  here 
seven  bullocks  and  seven  rams."  And  Balak  did  as  Balaam  had 
spoken;  and  Balak  and  Balaam  offered  on  every  altar  a  bullock 
and  a  ram.  And  Balaam  said  unto  Balak,  "  Stand  by  thy  burnt- 
offering,  and  I  will  go :  peradventure  Yahweh  will  come  to  meet 
me;  and  whatsoever  he  showeth  me  I  will  tell  thee."  And  he 
went  to  a  bare  height.  And  God  met  Balaam :  and  he  said  unto 
him,  ''  I  have  prepared  the  seven  altars,  and  I  have  offered  up  a 
bullock  and  a  ram  on  every  altar."  And  Yahweh  put  a  word  in 
Balaam's  mouth,  and  said,  "  Return  unto  Balak,  and  thus  thou 
shalt  speak.  And  he  returned  unto  him,  and,  lo,  he  was  standing 
by  his  burnt-offering,  he,  and  all  the  princes  of  Moab.  And  he 
took  up  his  parable,  and  said, 

"  From  Ai'am  hath  Balak  brought  me. 

The  king  of  Moab  from  the  mountains  of  the  East: 

Come,  curse  me  Jacob, 

And  come,  defy  Israel. 

How  shall  I  curse,  whom  God  hath  not  cursed? 

And  how  shall  I  defy,  whom  Yahweh  liath  not  defied? 

For  from  the  top  of  the  rocks  I  see  him, 

And  from  the  hills  I  behold  him: 

Lo,  it  is  a  people  that  dwelleth  alone, 

And  shall  not  be  reckoned  among  the  nations. 

Who  can  count  the  dust  of  Jacob, 

Or  number  the  fourth  part  of  Israel? 

Let  me  die  the  death  of  the  righteous. 

And  let  my  last  end  be  like  his!  " 
And  Balak  said  unto  Balaam,  "  What  hast  thou  done  unto  me? 
I  took  thee  to  curse  mine  enemies,  and,  behold,  thou  hast  blessed 
them  altogether."  And  he  answered  and  said,  "  Must  I  not 
take  heed  to  speak  that  which  Yahweh  putteth  in  my  mouth?  " 
And  Balak  said  unto  him,  "  Come,  I  pray  thee,  with  me  unto 
another  place,  from  whence  thou  mayest  see  them;  thou  shalt 
see  but  the  utmost  part  of  them,  and  of  Israel. 

What  hath  God  wrought! 

Behold,  the  people  riseth  up  as  a  lioness, 

And  as  a  lion  doth  he  lift  himself  up: 

He  shall  not  lie  down  until  he  eat  of  the  prey, 

And  drink  the  blood  of  the  slain." 


NUMBERS  95 

And  Balak  said  unto  Balaam,  "  Neither  curse  them  at  all, 
nor  bless  them  at  all."  But  Balaam  answered  and  said  unto 
Balak,  "  Told  not  I  thee,  saying,  '  All  that  Yahweh  speaketh, 
that  I  must  do?  '  " 

And  Balak  said  unto  Balaam,  "  Come  now,  I  will  take  thee 
unto  another  place;  peradventure  it  will  please  God  that  thou 
mayest  curse  me  them  from  thence."  And  Balak  took  Balaam 
unto  the  top  of  Peor,  that  looketh  down  upon  the  desert.  And 
Balaam  said  unto  Balak,  "  Build  me  here  seven  altars,  and 
prepare  me  here  seven  bullocks  and  seven  rams."  And  Balak 
did  as  Balaam  had  said,  and  offered  up  a  bullock  and  a  ram  on 
every  altar. 


And  when  Balaam  saw  that  it  pleased  Yahweh  to  bless  Israel, 
he  went  not,  as  at  the  other  tunes,  to  meet  with  enchantments, 
but  he  set  his  face  toward  the  wilderness.  And  Balaam  lifted 
up  his  eyes,  and  he  saw  Israel  dwelling  according  to  their  tribes; 
and  the  Spirit  of  God  came  upon  him.  And  he  took  up  his 
parable,  and  said, 

"  Balaam  the  son  of  Beor  saith, 

And  the  man  whose  eye  was  closed  saith : 

He  saith,  who  heareth  tlie  words  of  God, 

Who  seeth  the  vision  of  the  Almighty, 

Falling  down,  and  having  his  eyes  open: 

How  goodly  are  thy  tents,  0  Jacob, 

Thy  tabernacles,  0  Israel! 

As  valleys  are  they  spread  forth, 

As  gardens  by  the  river-side, 

As  lign-aloes  which  Yahweh  hath  planted. 

As  cedar-trees  beside  the  waters. 

Water  shall  flow  from  his  buckets. 

And  his  seed  shall  be  in  many  waters. 

And  his  king  shall  be  higher  than  Agag, 

And  his  kingdom  shall  be  exalted. 

God  bringeth  him  forth  out  of  Egypt; 

He  hath  as  it  were  the  strength  of  the  wild-ox : 

He  shall  eat  up  the  nations  his  adversaries. 

And  shall  break  their  bones  in  pieces, 


96  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  smite  them  through  with  his  arrows. 

He  couched,  he  lay  down  as  a  hon, 

And  as  a  Uoness ;  who  shall  rouse  him  up? 

Blessed  be  every  one  that  blesseth  thee, 

And  cursed  be  every  one  that  curseth  thee." 

And  Balak's  anger  was  kindled  against  Balaam,  and  he  smote 
his  hands  together;  and  Balak  said  unto  Balaam,  '^  I  called 
thee  to  curse  mine  enemies,  and,  behold,  thou  hast  altogether 
blessed  them  these  three  times.  Therefore  now  flee  thou  to 
thy  place:  I  thought  to  promote  thee  unto  great  honour:  but, 
lo,  Yahweh  hath  kept  thee  back  from  honor."  And  Balaam 
said  unto  Balak,  "  Spake  I  not  also  to  thy  messengers  that  thou 
sentest  unto  me,  saying, '  If  Balak  would  give  me  his  house  full 
of  silver  and  gold,  I  cannot  go  beyond  the  word  of  Yahweh, 
to  do  either  good  or  bad  of  mine  own  mind;  what  Yahweh 
speaketh,  that  will  I  speak?  '  And  now,  behold,  I  go  unto  my 
people:  come,  arid  I  will  advertise  thee  what  this  people  shall 
do  to  thy  people  in  the  latter  days."  And  he  took  up  his  para- 
ble, and  said, 

"  Balaam  the  son  of  Beor  saith. 

And  the  man  whose  eye  was  closed  saith: 

He  saith,  who  heareth  the  words  of  God, 

And  knoweth  the  knowledge  of  the  Most  High, 

Who  seeth  the  vision  of  the  Almighty, 

Falling  down,  and  having  his  eyes  open: 

I  see  him,  but  not  now; 

I  behold  him,  but  not  nigh: 

There  shall  come  forth  a  star  out  of  Jacob, 

And  a  sceptre  shall  rise  out  of  Israel, 

And  shall  smite  through  the  corners  of  Moab, 

And  break  down  all  the  sons  of  tumult. 

And  Edom  shall  be  a  possession, 

Seir  also  shall  be  a  possession,  ivhich  were  his  enemies; 

While  Israel  doeth  valiantly. 

And  out  of  Jacob  shall  one  have  dominion, 

And  shall  destroy''  the  remnant  from  the  city. 

And  he  looked  on  Amalek,  and  took  up  his  parable,  and  said, 

Amalek  was  the  first  of  the  nations; 

But  his  latter  end  shall  come  to  destruction. 


NUMBERS  97 

And  he  looked  on  the  Kenite,  and  took  up  his  parable,  and 

said, 
Strong  is  thy  dwelUng-place. 
And  thy  nest  is  set  in  the  rock. 
Nevertheless  Kain  shall  be  wasted. 
Until  Asshur  shall  carry  thee  away  captive. 
And  he  took  up  his  parable,  and  said, 
Alas,  who  shall  live  when  God  doeth  this? 
But  ships  shall  come  from  the  coast  of  Kittim, 
And  they  shall  afflict  Asshur,  and  shall  afflict  Eber; 
And  he  also  shall  come  to  destruction." 
And  Balaam  rose  up,  and  went  and  returned  to  his  place; 
and  Balak  also  went  his  way. 


And  Israel  abode  in  Shittim;  and  the  people  began  to  play  the 
harlot  with  the  daughters  of  Moab:  for  they  called  the  people 
unto  the  sacrifices  of  their  gods;  and  the  people  did  eat  and 
bowed  down  to  their  gods.  And  Israel  joined  himself  unto  Baal- 
peors :  And  the  anger  of  Yahweh  was  kindled  against  Israel.  And 
Yahweh  said  unto  Moses,  "  Take  all  the  chiefs  of  the  people, 
and  hang  them  up  unto  Yahweh  before  the  sun,  that  the  fierce 
anger  of  Yahweh  may  turn  away  from  Israel."  And  Moses 
said  unto  the  judges  of  Israel,  "  Slay  ye  every  one  his  men  that 
have  joined  themselves  unto  Baal-peor." 


DEUTERONOMY 


DEUTERONOMY 

Moses  said,  "  And  there  shalt  thou  build  an  altar  unto  Yahweh 
thy  God,  an  altar  of  stones :  thou  shalt  lift  up  no  iron  tool  upon 
them.  Thou  shalt  build  the  altar  of  Yahweh  thy  God  of  un- 
hewn stones:  and  thou  shalt  offer  burnt  offerings  thereon  unto 
Yahweh  thy  God:  and  thou  shalt  sacrifice  peace  offerings." 

And  Yahweh  said  unto  Moses,  "  Behold,  thy  days  approach 
that  thou  must  die:  call  Joshua,  and  present  yourselves  in  the 
tent  of  meeting,  that  I  may  give  him  a  charge."  And  Moses 
and  Joshua  went,  and  presented  themselves  in  the  tent  of  meet- 
ing. And  Yahweh  appeared  in  the  Tent  in  a  pillar  of  cloud: 
and  the  pillar  of  cloud  stood  over  the  door  of  the  Tent. 

And  Yahweh  shev/ed  him  all  the  land  of  Gilead,  unto  Dan; 
and  all  Naphtali,  and  the  land  of  Ephraim  and  Manasseh,  and 
all  the  land  of  Judah,  unto  the  hinder  sea;  and  the  South,  and 
the  Plain  of  the  valley  of  Jericho  the  city  of  palm  trees,  unto 
Zoar.  And  Yahweh  said  unto  him,  "  This  is  the  land  which  I 
sware  unto  Abraham,  unto  Isaac,  and  unto  Jacob,  saying,  I 
will  give  it  unto  thj^  seed :  I  have  caused  thee  to  see  it  with  thine 
eyes,  but  thou  shalt  not  go  over  thither."  So  Moses  the  ser- 
vant of  Yahweh  died  there  in  the  land  of  Moab,  according  to  the 
word  of  Yahweh.  And  he  buried  him  in  the  valley  in  the  land 
of  Moab  over  against  Beth-peor:  but  no  man  knoweth  of  his 
sepulchre  unto  this  day. 


JOSHUA 


JOSHUA 
The  Story  of  Joshua 

Now  it  came  to  pass  after  the  death  of  Moses  the  servant  of 
Yahweh,  that  Yahweh  spake  unto  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun, 
Moses'  mmister,  saying,  "  Moses  my  servant  is  dead;  now 
therefore  arise,  go  over  this  Jordan,  thou,  and  all  this  people, 
unto  the  land  which  I  do  give  to  them,  even  to  the  children  of 
Israel." 

Then  Joshua  commanded  the  officers  of  the  people,  saying, 
"  Pass  through  the  midst  of  the  camp,  and  command  the  people, 
saying,  '  Prepare  you  victuals;  for  within  three  days  ye  are  to 
pass  over  this  Jordan.'  " 

And  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun  sent  out  of  Shittim  two  men  as 
spies  secretly,  saying,  ''  Go  view  the  land,  and  Jericho."  And 
they  went,  and  came  into  the  house  of  an  harlot  whose  name  was 
Rahab,  and  lay  there.  And  it  was  told  the  king  of  Jericho, 
saying,  "  Behold,  there  came  men  in  hither  tonight  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  to  search  out  the  land."  And  the  king  of  Jericho 
sent  unto  Rahab,  saying,  "  Bring  forth  the  men  that  are  come  to 
thee,  which  are  entered  into  thine  house:  for  they  be  come  to 
search  out  all  the  land." 

And  the  woman  took  the  two  men,  and  hid  them;  and  she 
said,  "  Yea,  the  men  came  unto  me,  but  I  wist  not  whence  they 
were;  and  it  came  to  pass  about  the  time  of  the  shutting  of  the 
gate,  when  it  was  dark,  that  the  men  went  out ;  whither  the  men 
went  I  wot  not:  pursue  after  them  quickly;  for  ye  shall  over- 
take them."  But  she  had  brought  them  up  to  the  roof,  and  hid 
them  with  the  stalks  of  flax,  which  she  had  laid  in  order  upon  the 
roof. 

And  the  men  pursued  after  them  the  way  to  Jordan  unto  the 
fords :  and  as  soon  as  they  which  pursued  after  them  were  gone 
out,  they  shut  the  gate.  And  before  they  were  laid  down,  she 
came  up  unto  them  upon  the  roof;  and  she  said  unto  the  men. 


106  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

''  I  know  that  Yahweh  hath  given  you  the  land,  and  that  your 
terror  is  fallen  upon  us,  and  that  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  land 
melt  away  before  you.  Now  therefore,  I  pray  you,  swear  unto 
me  bj^  Yahweh,  since  I  have  dealt  kindly  with  3^ou,  that  he  also 
will  deal  kindly  with  my  father's  house,  and  give  me  a  true  token : 
and  that  ye  will  save  alive  my  father,  and  mj'  mother,  and  my 
brothers,  and  mj^  sisters,  and  all  that  they  have,  and  will  deliver 
our  lives  from  death." 

And  the  men  said  unto  her,  "  Our  life  for  yours,  if  ye  utter  not 
this  our  business;  and  it  shall  be,  when  Yahweh  giveth  us  the 
land,  that  we  will  deal  kindly  and  trulj^  with  thee." 

Then  she  let  them  down  by  a  cord  through  the  mndow:  for 
her  house  was  upon  the  town  wall,  and  she  dwelt  upon  the  wall. 
And  she  said  unto  them,  "  Get  you  to  the  mountain,  lest  the 
pursuers  light  upon  you;  and  hide  yourselves  there  three  days, 
until  the  pursuers  be  returned :  and  afterward  may  ye  go  your 
way." 

And  the  men  said  unto  her,  "  We  will  be  guiltless  of  this  thine 
oath  which  thou  hast  made  us  to  swear.  Behold,  when  we  come 
into  the  land,  thou  shalt  bind  this  line  of  scarlet  thread  in  the 
window  which  thou  didst  let  us  down  by:  and  thou  shalt  gather 
unto  thee  into  the  house  thy  father,  and  thy  mother,  and  thy 
brethren,  and  all  thy  father's  household.  And  it  shall  be,  that 
whosoever  shall  go  out  of  the  doors  of  thy  house  into  the  street, 
his  blood  shall  be  upon  his  head,  and  we  will  be  guiltless:  and 
whosoever  shall  be  with  thee  in  the  house,  his  blood  shall  be  on 
our  head,  if  any  hand  be  upon  him.  But  if  thou  utter  this  our 
business,  then  we  ^vill  be  guiltless  of  thine  oath  which  thou  hast 
made  us  to  swear." 

And  she  said,  "  According  to  your  words,  so  be  it."  And  she 
sent  them  away,  and  they  departed:  and  she  bound  the  scarlet 
line  in  the  window. 

And  they  went,  and  came  unto  the  mountain,  and  abode  there 
three  daj-s,  until  the  pursuers  were  returned:  and  the  pursuers 
sought  them  throughout  all  the  way,  but  found  them  not. 

Then  the  two  men  returned,  and  descended  from  the  moun- 
tain, and  passed  over,  and  came  to  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun; 
and  they  told  him  all  that  had  befallen  them.  And  they  said 
unto  Joshua,  ''  Truly  Yahweh  hath  delivered  into  our  hands  all 


JOSHUA  107 

the  land;  and  moreover  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  land  do  melt 
away  before  us.'^ 


And  Joshua  rose  up  early  in  the  morning,  and  they  removed 
from  Shittim,  and  came  to  Jordan,  he  and  all  the  children  of 
Israel;  and  they  lodged  there  before  they  passed  over. 

And  it  came  to  pass  after  three  days,  that  the  officers  went 
through  the  midst  of  the  camp;  and  they  commanded  the  people, 
saying,  "  When  ye  see  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  Yahweh,  your 
God,  and  the  priests  the  Levites  bearing  it,  then  ye  shall  remove 
from  your  place,  and  go  after  it." 

And  Joshua  said  unto  the  people,  "  Sanctify  yourselves:  for 
tomorrow  Yahweh  will  do  wonders  among  you."  And  Joshua 
spake  unto  the  priests,  saying,  "  Take  up  the  ark  of  the  covenant, 
and  pass  over  before  the  people."  And  they  took  up  the  ark  of 
the  covenant,  and  went  before  the  people. 

And  Yahweh  said,  "  And  thou  shalt  command  the  priests 
that  bear  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  saying,  '  When  ye  are  come  to 
the  bank  of  the  waters  of  Jordan,  ye  shall  stand  still  in  Jordan.'  " 

And  Joshua  said  unto  the  children  of  Israel,  "  Come  hither, 
and  hear  the  words  of  Yahweh  your  God."  And  Joshua  said, 
"  Hereby  ye  shall  knoY\^  that  the  living  God  is  among  you. 
Behold,  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  Yahweh  of  all  the  earth  passeth 
over  before  you  into  Jordan.  Now,  therefore,  take  you  twelve 
men  out  of  the  tribes  of  Israel,  for  everj^  tribe  a  man.  And  it 
shall  come  to  pass,  when  the  soles  of  the  feet  of  the  priests  that 
bear  the  ark  of  Yahweh,  the  Lord  of  all  the  earth,  shall  rest  in 
the  waters  of  Jordan,  that  the  waters  of  Jordan  shall  be  cut  off, 
even  the  waters  that  come  down  from  above;  and  they  shall 
stand  in  one  heap." 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  people  removed  from  their 
tents,  to  pass  over  Jordan,  the  priests  that  bare  the  ark  of  the 
covenant  being  before  the  people ;  and  when  they  that  bare  the 
ark  were  come  unto  Jordan,  and  the  feet  of  the  priests  that  bare 
the  ark  were  dipped  in  the  brink  of  the  water  (for  Jordan  over- 
flovv^eth  all  its  banks  ail  the  time  of  harvest),  that  the  watei's 
which  came  down  from  above  stood,  and  rose  up  in  one  heap,  a 
great  way  off,  at  Adam,  the  city  that  is  beside  Zarethan:   and 


108  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

those  that  went  down  toward  the  sea  of  the  Arabah,  even  the 
Salt  Sea,  were  wholly  cut  off:  and  the  people  passed  over  right 
against  Jordan.  And  the  priests  that  bare  the  ark  of  the  cove- 
nant of  Yahweh  stood  firm  on  dry  ground  in  the  midst  of  Jordan. 

Yah  well  spake  unto  Joshua,  saying,  "  Take  j^ou  twelve  men 
out  of  the  people,  out  of  every  tribe  a  man,  and  command  ye 
them,  saying,  "  Take  you  hence  out  of  the  midst  of  Jordan,  out 
of  the  place  where  the  priests'  feet  stood  firm,  twelve  stones,  and 
carry  them  over  mth  you,  and  lay  them  down,  in  the  lodging 
place,  where  ye  shall  lodge  this  night." 

Then  Joshua  called  the  twelve  men,  whom  he  had  prepared  of 
the  children  of  Israel,  out  of  every  tribe  a  man :  and  Joshua  said 
unto  them,  ''  Pass  over  before  the  ark  of  Yahweh  your  God  into 
the  midst  of  Jordan,  and  take  you  up  everj'-  man  of  you  a  stone 
upon  his  shoulder,  according  unto  the  number  of  the  tribes  of 
the  children  of  Israel :  that  this  may  be  a  sign  among  you,  that 
when  your  children  ask  in  time  to  come,  saying, '  What  mean  ye 
by  these  stones?  '  then  ye  shall  say  unto  them,  '  Because  the 
waters  of  Jordan  were  cut  off  before  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of 
Yahweh;  when  it  passed  over  Jordan,  the  waters  of  Jordan  were 
cut  off:  and  these  stones  shall  be  for  a  memorial  unto  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  forever.'  " 

And  the  children  of  Israel  did  so  as  Joshua  commanded,  and 
took  up  twelve  stones  out  of  the  midst  of  Jordan,  as  Yahweh 
spake  unto  Joshua,  according  to  the  number  of  the  tribes  of  the 
children  of  Israel;  and  they  carried  them  over  with  them  unto 
the  place  where  they  lodged,  and  laid  them  down  there.  And  the 
people  hasted  and  passed  over. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  all  the  people  were  clean  passed 
over,  that  the  ark  of  Yahweh  passed  over,  and  the  priests,  in  the 
presence  of  the  people.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  priests 
that  bare  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  Yahweh  were  come  up  out 
of  the  midst  of  Jordan,  and  the  soles  of  the  priests'  feet  were 
lifted  up  unto  the  dry  ground,  that  the  waters  of  Jordan  returned 
unto  their  place,  and  went  over  all  its  banks,  as  aforetime.  And 
those  twelve  stones,  which  they  took  out  of  Jordan,  did  Joshua 
set  up  in  Gilgal. 


JOSHUA  109 

At  that  time  Yahweh  said  unto  Joshua,  "  Make  thee  knives 
of  flint,  and  circumcise  again  the  children  of  Israel  the  second 
time."  And  Joshua  made  him  knives  of  flint,  and  circumcised 
the  children  of  Israel  at  the  hill  of  the  foreskins.  And  it  came 
to  pass,  when  they  had  done  circumcising  all  the  nation,  that 
they  abode  in  their  places  in  the  camp,  till  they  were  whole. 
And  Yahweh  said  unto  Joshua,  ''  This  day  have  I  rolled  away 
the  reproach  of  Egypt  from  off  3''0u."  Wherefore  the  name  of 
that  place  was  called  Gilgal,  unto  this  day. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Joshua  was  by  Jericho,  that  he 
lifted  up  his  eyes  and  looked,  and,  behold,  there  stood  a  man  over 
against  him  with  his  sword  drawn  in  his  hand :  and  Joshua  went 
unto  him,  and  said  unto  him,  "  Art  thou  for  us,  or  for  our  ad- 
versaries? "  And  he  said,  ''  Nay;  but  as  captain  of  the  host  of 
Yahweh  am  I  now  come."  And  Joshua  fell  on  his  face  to  the 
earth,  and  did  worship,  and  said  unto  him,  "  What  saith  my  lord 
unto  his  servant?  "  And  the  captain  of  Yahweh's  host  said 
unto  Joshua,  ''  Put  off  thy  shoe  from  off  thy  foot;  for  the  place 
whereon  thou  standest  is  holy."  And  Joshua  did  so.  .  .  .  (Now 
Jericho  was  straitly  shut  up  because  of  the  children  of  Israel: 
none  went  out,  and  none  came  in.)  And  Yahweh  said  unto 
Joshua,  "  See,  I  have  given  into  thine  hand  Jericho,  and  the  king 
thereof,  and  the  mighty  men  of  valour.  And  ye  shall  compass 
the  city,  all  the  men  of  war,  going  about  the  city  once.  Thus 
shalt  thou  do  six  days.  And  seven  priests  shall  bear  seven 
trumpets  of  rams'  horns  before  the  ark :  and  the  seventh  day  ye 
shall  compass  the  city  seven  times,  and  the  priests  shall  blow 
with  the  trumpets.  And  it  shall  be,  that  when  they  make  a 
long  blast  with  the  ram's  horn,  and  when  ye  hear  the  sound  of 
the  trumpet,  all  the  people  shall  shout  with  a  great  shout;  and 
the  wall  of  the  city  shall  fall  down  flat,  and  the  people  shall  go 
up  every  man  straight  before  him." 

And  Joshua  the  son  of  Nun  called  the  priests,  and  said  unto 
them,  "  Take  up  the  ark  of  the  covenant,  and  let  seven  priests 
bear  seven  trumpets  of  rams'  horns  before  the  ark  of  Yahweh." 
And  they  said  unto  the  people,  "  Pass  on  and  compass  the  city, 
and  let  the  armed  men  pass  on  before  the  ark  of  Yahweh." 

And  it  was  so,  that  when  Joshua  had  spoken  unto  the  people, 
the  seven  priests  bearing  the  seven  trumpets  of  rams'  horns  be- 


no  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

fore  Yahweh  passed  on,  and  blew  with  the  trumpets:  and  the 
ark  of  the  covenant  of  Yahweh  followed  them.  And  the  armed 
men  went  before  the  priests  that  blew  the  trumpets,  and  the 
rearward  went  after  the  ark,  the  priests  blowing  with  the  trum- 
pets as  they  went. 

And  Joshua  commanded  the  people,  saying,  "  Ye  shall  not 
shout,  nor  let  your  voice  be  heard,  neither  shall  any  word  pro- 
ceed out  of  your  mouth,  until  the  day  I  bid  you  shout;  then 
shall  ye  shout."  So  he  caused  the  ark  of  Yahweh  to  compass  the 
city,  going  about  it  once:  and  they  came  into  the  camp,  and 
lodged  in  the  camp. 

And  Joshua  rose  early  in  the  morning,  and  the  priests  took  up 
the  ark  of  Yahweh.  And  the  seven  priests  bearing  the  seven 
trumpets  of  rams'  horns  before  the  ark  of  Yahweh  went  on  con- 
tinually, and  blew  with  the  trumpets :  and  the  armed  men  went 
before  them;  and  the  rearward  came  after  the  ark  of  Yahweh, 
the  priests  blowing  with  the  trumpets  as  they  w^ent. 

And  the  second  day  they  compassed  the  city  once,  and  re- 
turned into  the  camp :  so  they  did  six  days.  And  it  came  to  pass 
on  the  seventh  day,  that  the}''  rose  early  at  the  dawTiing  of  the 
day,  and  compassed  the  city  after  the  same  manner  seven  times: 
only  on  that  day  they  compassed  the  city  seven  times. 

And  it  came  to  pass  at  the  seventh  time,  when  the  priests 
blew  with  the  trumpets,  Joshua  said  unto  the  people,  "  Shout; 
for  Yahweh  hath  given  you  the  city.  And  the  city  shall  be  de- 
voted, even  it  and  all  that  is  therein,  to  Yahweh.  But  all  the 
silver,  and  gold,  and  vessels  of  brass  and  iron,  are  holy  unto 
Yahweh:  they  shall  come  into  the  treasur}'-  of  Yahweh." 

So  the  people  shouted,  and  the  priests  blew  with  the  trumpets: 
and  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  people  heard  the  sound  of  the 
trumpet,  that  the  people  shouted  with  a  great  shout,  and  the 
wall  fell  down  flat,  so  that  the  people  went  up  into  the  city, 
every  man  straight  before  him,  and  they  took  the  city.  And 
they  utterly  destroyed  all  that  was  in  the  city,  both  man  and 
woman,  both  j^oung  and  old,  and  ox,  and  sheep,  and  ass,  with  the 
edge  of  the  sword. 

And  Joshua  said  unto  the  two  men  that  had  spied  out  the  land, 
"  Go  into  the  harlot's  house,  and  bring  out  thence  the  woman, 
and  all  that  she  hath,  as  ye  sware  unto  her."    And  the  young 


JOSHUA  111 

men  the  spies  went  in,  and  brought  out  Rahab,  and  her  father, 
and  her  mother,  and  her  brethren,  and  all  that  she  had,  all  her 
kindred  also  they  brought  out;  and  they  set  them  without  the 
camp  of  Israel.  And  they  burnt  the  citj''  with  fire,  and  all  that 
was  therein:  only  the  silver,  and  the  gold,  and  the  vessels  of 
brass  and  of  iron,  they  put  into  the  treasury  of  the  house  of 
Yahweh.  But  Rahab  the  harlot,  and  her  father's  household, 
and  all  that  she  had,  did  Joshua  save  alive;  and  she  dwelt  in 
the  midst  of  Israel,  unto  this  day;  because  she  hid  the  mes- 
sengers, which  Joshua  sent  to  spy  out  Jericho. 

And  Joshua  charged  them  with  an  oath  at  that  time,  saying, 
"  Cursed  be  the  man  before  Yahweh,  that  riseth  up  and  buildeth 
this  city  Jericho :  with  the  loss  of  his  first-born  shall  he  lay  the 
foundation  thereof,  and  with  the  loss  of  his  youngest  son  shall  he 
set  up  the  gates  of  it."  So  Yahweh  was  with  Joshua;  and  his 
fame  was  in  all  the  land. 


And  Joshua  sent  men  from  Jericho  to  Ai,  which  is  beside  Beth- 
aven,  on  the  east  side  of  Beth-el,  and  spake  unto  them,  saying, 
''  Go  up  and  spy  out  the  land."  And  the  men  went  up  and  spied 
out  Ai.  And  they  returned  to  Joshua,  and  said  unto  him,  "  Let 
not  all  the  people  go  up;  but  let  about  two  or  three  thousand  men 
go  up  and  smite  Ai;  make  not  all  the  people  to  toil  thither;  for 
they  are  but  few." 

So  there  went  up  thither  of  the  people  about  three  thousand 
men:  and  they  fled  before  the  men  of  Ai.  And  the  men  of  Ai 
smote  of  them  about  thirty  and  six  men:  and  they  chased  them 
from  before  the  gate  even  unto  Shebarim,  and  smote  them  at  the 
going  down:  and  the  hearts  of  the  people  melted,  and  became  as 
water.  And  Joshua  rent  his  clothes,  and  fell  to  the  earth  upon 
his  face  before  the  ark  of  Yahweh  until  the  evening,  he  and  the 
elders  of  Israel;  and  they  put  dust  upon  their  heads. 

And  Joshua  said,  "  Alas,  0  Lord  God,  v/herefore  hast  thou  at 
all  brought  this  people  over  Jordan,  to  deliver  us  into  the  hand  of 
the  Amorites,  to  cause  us  to  perish?  Would  that  we  had  been 
content  and  dwelt  beyond  Jordan!  Oh  Yahweh,  what  shall  I 
say,  after  that  Israel  hath  turned  their  backs  before  their  enemies! 
For  the  Canaanites  and  all  the  inhabitants  of  the  land  shall  hear 


112  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

of  it,  and  shall  compass  us  round,  and  cut  off  our  name  from  the 
earth:  and  what  wilt  thou  do  for  thy  great  name?  " 

And  Yah  well  said  unto  Joshua,  "  Get  thee  up;  wherefore  art 
thou  thus  fallen  upon  thy  face?  Israel  hath  sinned;  yea,  they 
have  even  transgressed  my  covenant  which  I  commanded  them: 
yea,  they  have  even  taken  of  the  devoted  thing;  and  have  also 
stolen,  and  dissembled  also,  and  they  have  even  put  it  among 
their  own  stuff.  Therefore  the  children  of  Israel  cannot  stand 
before  their  enemies,  they  turn  their  backs  before  their  enemies, 
because  they  are  become  accursed:  I  will  not  be  with  you  any 
more,  except  ye  destroy  the  devoted  thing  from  among  you. 
Up,  sanctify  the  people,  and  say,  '  Sanctify  yourselves  against 
tomorrow:  for  thus  saitli  Yahweh,  the  God  of  Israel.'  There  is 
a  devoted  thing  in  the  midst  of  thee,  0  Israel;  thou  canst  not 
stand  before  thine  enemies,  until  ye  take  away  the  devoted  thing 
from  among  you.  In  the  morning  therefore  ye  shall  be  brought 
near  by  your  tribes :  and  it  shall  be,  that  the  tribe  which  Yahweh 
taketh  shall  come  near  by  families;  and  the  family  which  Yah- 
weh shall  take  shall  come  near  by  households;  and  the  house- 
hold which  Yahweh  shall  take  shall  come  near  man  by  man. 
And  it  shall  be,  that  he  that  is  taken  with  the  devoted  thing  shall 
be  burnt  with  fire,  he  and  all  that  he  hath :  because  he  hath  trans- 
gressed the  covenant  of  Yahweh,  and  because  he  hath  wrought 
folly  in  Israel." 

So  Joshua  rose  up  early  in  the  morning,  and  brought  Israel 
near  by  their  tribes;  and  the  tribe  of  Judah  was  taken:  and  he 
brought  near  the  family  of  Judah:  and  he  took  the  family  of 
Judah;  and  he  took  the  family  of  Zerahites:  and  he  brought 
near  the  family  of  the  Zerahites  man  by  man:  and  Zabdi  was 
taken:  and  he  brought  near  his  household  man  by  man;  and 
Achan,  the  son  of  Carmi,  the  son  of  Zabdi,  the  son  of  Zerah,  of  the 
tribe  of  Judah,  was  taken. 

And  Joshua  said  unto  Achan,  "  My  son,  give,  I  pray  thee,  glory 
to  Yahweh,  the  God  of  Israel,  and  make  confession  unto  him; 
and  tell  me  now  what  thou  hast  done;  hide  it  not  from  me." 
And  Achan  answered  Joshua,  and  said,  "  Of  a  truth  I  have  sinned 
against  Yahweh,  the  God  of  Israel,  and  thus  and  thus  have  I 
done :  when  I  saw  among  the  spoil  a  goodly  Babylonish  mantle, 
and  two  hundred  shekels  of  silver,  and  a  wedge  of  gold  of  fifty 


JOSHUA  113 

shekels  weight,  then  I  coveted  them,  and  took  them;  and,  be- 
hold, they  are  hid  in  the  earth  in  the  midst  of  my  tent,  and  the 
silver  under  it." 

So  Joshua  sent  messengers,  and  they  ran  unto  the  tent;  and, 
behold,  it  was  hid  in  his  tent,  and  the  silver  under  it.  And  they 
took  them  from  the  midst  of  the  tent,  and  brought  them  unto 
Joshua,  and  unto  all  the  children  of  Israel;  and  they  laid  them 
down  before  Yahweh.  And  Joshua,  and  all  Israel  with  him,  took 
Achan  the  son  of  Zerah,  and  the  silver,  and  the  mantle,  and  the 
wedge  of  gold,  and  his  sons,  and  his  daughters,  and  his  oxen, 
and  his  asses,  and  his  sheep,  and  his  tent,  and  all  that  he  had: 
and  they  brought  them  up  into  the  valley  of  Achor.  And 
Joshua  said,  "  Why  hast  thou  troubled  us?  Yahweh  shall 
trouble  thee  this  day.  And  all  Israel  stoned  him  with  stones; 
and  they  burned  them  with  fire,  and  stoned  them  with  stones. 
And  they  raised  over  him  a  great  heap  of  stones,  unto  this  day; 
and  Yahweh  turned  from  the  fierceness  of  his  anger.  Where- 
fore the  name  of  that  place  was  called  The  valley  of  Achor,  unto 
this  day. 


So  Joshua  arose,  and  all  the  people  of  war,  to  go  up  to  Ai, 
and  Joshua  chose  out  thirtj^  thousand  men,  the  mighty  men  of 
valour,  and  sent  them  forth  by  night.  And  he  commanded 
them,  saying,  "  Behold,  ye  shall  lie  in  ambush  against  the  city, 
behind  the  citj^:  go  not  very  far  from  the  city,  but  be  ye  all 
ready:  and  I,  and  all  the  people  that  are  vdih  me,  will  approach 
unto  the  city:  and  it  shall  come  to  pass,  when  they  come  out 
against  us,  as  at  the  first,  that  we  \\'ill  flee  before  them;  and  they 
\vill  come  out  after  us,  till  we  have  drawn  them  away  from  the 
city;  for  thej'-  will  say,  '' Thej^  flee  before  us,  as  at  the  first; 
so  we  will  flee  before  them:  and  ye  shall  rise  up  from  the  ambush, 
and  take  possession  of  the  city:  for  Yahweh  j'our  God  will 
deliver  it  into  your  hand.  And  it  shall  be,  when  ye  have  seized 
upon  the  city,  that  ye  shall  set  the  city  on  fii'e." 

And  Joshua  sent  them  forth;  and  they  went  to  the  ambush- 
ment,  and  abode  between  Beth-el  and  Ai,  on  the  west  side  of  Ai : 
but  Joshua  lodged  that  night  among  the  people. 

And  Joshua  rose  up  early  in  the  morning,  and  mustered  the 


114  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

people,  and  went  up,  he  and  the  elders  of  Israel,  before  the  people 
to  Ai.  And  all  the  people,  even  the  men  of  war  that  were  with 
him,  went  up,  and  drew  nigh,  and  came  before  the  city,  and 
pitched  on  the  north  side  of  Ai:  now  there  was  a  valley  between 
him  and  Ai.  And  he  took  about  five  thousand  men,  and  set 
them  in  ambush  between  Beth-el  and  Ai,  on  the  west  side  of  the 
city.  So  the}''  set  the  people,  even  all  the  host  that  was  on  the 
north  of  the  city,  and  their  liers  in  wait  that  were  on  the  west  of 
the  city,  and  Joshua  w^nt  that  night  into  the  midst  of  the  vale. 
And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  king  of  Ai  saw  it,  that  thej^  hasted 
and  rose  up  earl}^,  and  the  men  of  the  city  went  out  against 
Israel  to  battle,  he  and  all  his  people,  at  the  time  appointed,  be- 
fore the  Arabah;  but  he  \vist  not  that  there  was  an  ambush 
against  him  behind  the  city. 

And  Joshua  and  all  Israel  made  as  if  they  were  beaten  before 
them,  and  fled  by  the  way  of  the  wlderness.  And  all  the  people 
that  were  in  the  city  were  called  together  to  pursue  after  them; 
and  they  pursued  after  Joshua,  and  were  drawn  away  from  the 
city.  And  there  was  not  a  man  left  in  Ai  or  Beth-el,  that  went 
not  out  after  Israel:  and  they  loft  the  city  open,  and  pursued 
after  Israel. 

And  Yahweh  said  unto  Joshua,  "  Stretch  out  the  javelin  that 
is  in  thy  hand  toward  Ai;  for  I  will  give  it  into  thine  hand." 
And  Joshua  stretched  out  the  javelin  that  was  in  his  hand  toward 
the  city.  And  the  ambush  arose  quickly  out  of  their  place,  and 
they  ran  as  soon  as  he  had  stretched  out  his  hand,  and  entered 
into  the  citj^,  and  took  it;  and  they  hasted  and  set  the  city  on 
fire.  And  when  the  men  of  Ai  looked  behind  them,  they  saw,  and 
behold,  the  smoke  of  the  citj^  ascended  up  to  heaven,  and  they 
had  no  power  to  flee  this  way  or  that  way:  and  the  people  that 
fled  to  the  wdlderness  turned  back  upon  the  pursuers.  And  when 
Joshua  and  all  Israel  saw  that  the  ambush  had  taken  the  city, 
and  that  the  smoke  of  the  city  ascended,  then  they  turned  again, 
and  slew  the  men  of  Ai. 

And  the  other  came  forth  out  of  the  city  against  them;  so 
they  were  in  the  midst  of  Israel,  some  on  this  side,  and  some  on 
that  side:  and  they  smote  them,  so  that  they  let  none  of  them 
remain  or  escape.  And  the  king  of  Ai  they  took  alive,  and 
brought  him  to  Joshua. 


JOSHUA  115 

And  it  came  to  pass  when  Israel  had  made  an  end  of  slaying 
all  the  inhabitants  of  Ai  in  the  field,  in  the  wilderness  wherein 
they  pursued  them,  and  they  were  all  fallen  by  the  edge  of  the 
sword,  until  the}''  were  consumed,  that  all  Israel  returned  unto 
Ai,  and  smote  it  with  the  edge  of  the  sword.  And  all  that  fell 
that  day,  both  of  men  and  women,  were  twelve  thousand,  even 
all  the  men  of  Ai.  For  Joshua  drew  not  back  his  hand,  where- 
with he  stretched  out  the  javelin,  until  he  had  utterly  destroyed 
all  the  inhabitants  of  Ai. 

So  Joshua  burnt  Ai,  and  made  it  an  heap  forever,  even  a 
desolation,  unto  this  day.  And  the  king  of  Ai  he  hanged  on  a  tree 
until  the  eventide:  and  at  the  going  down  of  the  sun  Joshua 
commanded,  and  they  took  his  carcass  dowm  from  the  tree,  and 
cast  it  at  the  entering  of  the  gate  of  the  city,  and  raised  thereon 
a  great  heap  of  stones,  unto  this  day. 


But  when  the  inhabitants  of  Gibeon  heard  what  Joshua  had 
done  unto  Jericho  and  to  Ai,  they  also  did  work  wilily,  and  went 
and  made  as  if  they  had  been  ambassadors,  and  took  old  sacks 
upon  their  asses,  and  wine-skins,  old  and  rent  and  bound  up; 
and  old  shoes  and  clouted  upon  their  feet,  and  old  garments  upon 
them;  and  all  the  bread  of  their  provision  was  dry  and  was  be- 
come mouldy. 

And  they  went  to  Joshua  unto  the  camp  at  Gilgal,  and  said 
unto  him,  and  to  the  men  of  Israel,  "  We  are  come  from  a  far 
country:  now  therefore  make  ye  a  covenant  with  us."  And 
the  men  of  Israel  said  unto  the  Hivites,  ''  Peradventure  ye  dwell 
among  us;  and  how  shall  we  make  a  covenant  with  you?  " 
And  they  said  unto  Joshua,  "  We  are  thy  servants."  And 
Joshua  said  unto  them,  "  Who  are  ye?  And  from  whence  come 
ye?  "  And  they  said  unto  him,  ''  From  a  very  far  country  thy 
servants  are  come.  And  our  elders  and  all  the  inhabitants  of  our 
country  spake  to  us,  saying,  '  Take  provision  in  your  hand  for 
the  journey,  and  go  to  meet  them,  and  say  unto  them,  "  We  are 
your  servants:  and  now  make  ye  a  covenant  with  us."  '  This 
our  bread  we  took  hot  for  our  pro\dsions  out  of  our  houses  on 
the  day  we  came  forth  to  go  unto  you;  but  now,  behold,  it  is 
dry,  and  is  become  mouldy:    and  these  wine-skins,  which  we 


116  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

filled,  were  new;  and,  behold,  they  be  rent:  and  these  our  gar- 
ments and  our  shoes  are  become  old  by  reason  of  the  very  long 
journey." 

And  the  men  took  of  their  provision,  and  asked  not  counsel 
at  the  mouth  of  Yahweh.  And  Joshua  made  peace  with  them, 
and  made  a  covenant  with  them,  to  let  them  live.  And  it  came 
to  pass  at  the  end  of  three  days  after  they  had  made  a  covenant 
with  them,  that  they  heard  that  they  were  their  neighbors,  and 
that  they  dwelt  among  them. 

And  Joshua  called  for  them,  and  he  spake  unto  them,  saying, 
"  Wherefore  have  ye  beguiled  us,  saying,  '  We  are  very  far  from 
you  ';  when  ye  dwell  among  us?  Now  therefore  ye  are  cursed 
and  there  shall  never  fail  to  be  of  you  bondmen,  both  hewers  of 
wood  and  drawers  of  water  for  the  house  of  my  God."  And  so 
he  did  unto  them,  and  delivered  them  out  of  the  hand  of  the 
children  of  Israel,  that  they  slew  them  not.  And  Joshua  made 
them  that  day  hewers  of  wood  and  drawers  of  water  for  the 
congregation,  and  for  the  altar  of  Yahweh,  unto  this  day. 


Now  it  came  to  pass,  when  Adoni-zedek  king  of  Jerusalem 
heard  how  Joshua  had  taken  Ai,  and  had  utterly  destroyed  it; 
and  how  the  inhabitants  of  Gibeon  had  made  peace  with  Israel, 
and  among  them;  that  they  feared  greatly,  because  Gibeon  was 
a  great  city,  as  one  of  the  royal  cities,  and  because  it  was  greater 
than  Ai,  and  all  the  men  thereof  were  might}^ 

Wherefore,  Adoni-zedek  king  of  Jerusalem  sent  unto  Hohan 
king  of  Hebron,  and  unto  Piram  king  of  Jarmuth,  and  unto 
Japhia  king  of  Lachish,  and  unto  Debir  king  of  Eglon,  saying, 
"  Come  up  unto  me,  and  help  me,  and  let  us  smite  Gibeon: 
for  it  hath  made  peace  with  Joshua  and  with  the  children  of 
Israel." 

Therefore,  the  five  kings  of  the  Amorites,  the  king  of  Jeru- 
salem, the  king  of  Hebron,  the  king  of  Jarmuth,  the  king  of 
Lachish,  the  king  of  Eglon,  gathered  themselves  together,  and 
went  up,  the}--  and  all  their  hosts,  and  encamped  against  Gibeon, 
and  made  war  against  it.  And  the  men  of  Gibeon  sent  unto 
Joshua  to  the  camp  to  Gilgal,  sa\dng,  "  Slack  not  thy  hand  from 


JOSHUA  117 

thy  servants;  come  up  to  us  quickly,  and  save  us,  and  help  us: 
for  all  the  kings  of  the  Amorites  that  dwell  in  the  hill  country 
are  gathered  together  against  us." 

So  Joshua  went  up  from  Gilgal,  he,  and  all  the  people  of  war 
with  him,  and  all  the  mighty  men  of  valour.  Joshua  therefore 
came  upon  them  suddenly;  for  he  went  up  from  Gilgal  all  the 
night.  And  Yahweh  discomfited  them  before  Israel,  and  he 
slew  them  with  a  great  slaughter  at  Gibeon,  and  chased  them 
by  the  way  of  the  ascent  of  Beth-horon,  and  smote  them  to 
Azekah,  and  unto  Makkedah.  And  it  came  to  pass,  as  they  fled 
from  before  Israel,  while  they  were  in  the  going  down  of  Beth- 
horon,  that  Yahweh  cast  down  great  stones  from  heaven  upon 
them  unto  Azekah,  and  they  died:  they  were  more  which  died 
with  the  hailstones  than  they  whom  the  children  of  Israel  slew 
with  the  sword. 

And  he  said  in  the  sight  of  Israel, 

"  Sun,  stand  thou  still  upon  Gibeon; 
And  thou,  Moon,  in  the  valley  of  Aijalon. 
And  the  sun  stood  still,  and  the  moon  stayed, 
Until  the  nation  had  avenged  themselves  of  their  enemies." 

Is  not  this  WTitten  in  the  book  of  Jashar?  And  the  sun  stayed 
in  the  midst  of  heaven,  and  hasted  not  to  go  down  about  a  whole 
day.  And  there  was  no  day  like  that  before  it  or  after  it,  that 
Yahweh  hearkened  unto  the  voice  of  a  man. 

And  Joshua  returned;  and  all  Israel  with  him,  unto  the  camp 
to  Gilgal. 

And  these  five  kings  fled,  and  hid  themselves  in  the  cave  at 
Makkedah.  And  it  was  told  Joshua,  saying,  "  The  five  kings 
are  found,  hidden  in  the  cave  at  Makkedah.  And  Joshua  said, 
"  Roll  great  stones  unto  the  mouth  of  the  cave,  and  set  men  by 
it  for  to  keep  them :  but  stay  not  ye ;  pursue  after  your  enemies, 
and  smite  the  hindmost  of  them;  suffer  them  not  to  enter  into 
their  cities :  for  Yahweh  your  God  hath  delivered  them  into  your 
hand." 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Joshua  and  the  children  of  Israel 
had  made  an  end  of  slaying  them  with  a  verj'-  great  slaughter, 
till  they  were  consumed,  and  the  remnant  which  remained  of 


118  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

them  had  entered  into  the  fenced  cities,  that  all  the  people  re- 
turned to  the  camp  to  Joshua  at  Makkedah  in  peace :  none  moved 
his  tongue  against  any  of  the  children  of  Israel. 

Then  said  Joshua,  ''  Open  the  mouth  of  the  cave,  and  bring 
forth  those  five  Idngs  unto  me  out  of  the  cave."  And  they  did 
so,  and  brought  forth  those  five  kings  unto  him  out  of  the  cave, 
the  king  of  Jerusalem,  the  king  of  Hebron,  the  king  of  Jarmuth, 
the  king  of  Lachish,  the  king  of  Egion. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  they  brought  forth  those,  kings  unto 
Joshua,  that  Joshua  called  for  all  the  men  of  Israel,  and  said 
unto  the  chiefs  of  the  men  of  war  which  went  with  him,  ''  Come 
near,  put  your  feet  upon  the  necks  of  these  kings."  And  they 
came  near,  and  put  their  feet  upon  the  necks  of  them. 

And  afterward  Joshua  smote  them,  and  put  them  to  death,  and 
hanged  them  on  five  trees;  and  they  were  hanging  upon  the  trees 
until  the  evening.  And  it  came  to  pass  at  the  time  of  the  going 
down  of  the  sun,  that  Joshua  commanded,  and  they  took  them 
down  off  the  trees,  and  cast  them  into  the  cave  wherein  they 
had  hidden  themselves,  and  laid  great  stones  on  the  mouth  of 
the  cave,  unto  this  very  day. 


And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Jabin  king  of  Hazor  heard  thereof, 
that  he  sent  to  Jobab,  king  of  Madon,  and  to  the  king  of  Shimron, 
and  to  the  king  of  Achshaph. 

And  they  went  out,  they  and  all  their  hosts  v/ith  them,  much 
people,  even  as  the  sand  that  is  upon  the  seashore  in  multitude, 
wdth  horses  and  chariots  very  many.  And  all  these  kings  met 
together;  and  they  came  and  pitched  together  at  the  waters  of 
Merom,  to  fight  with  Israel. 

And  Yahweh  said  unto  Joshua,  "  Be  not  afraid  because  of 
them:  for  tomorrow  at  this  time  will  I  deliver  them  up  all  slain 
before  Israel:  thou  shalt  hough  their  horses,  and  burn  their 
chariots  with  fire."  So  Joshua  came,  and  all  the  people  of  war 
with  him,  against  them  by  the  waters  of  Merom  suddenly,  and 
fell  upon  them.  And  Yahweh  dehvered  them  into  the  hand  of 
Israel,  and  they  smote  them,  and  chased  them  unto  great  Zidon, 
and  unto  Misrephoth-maim,  and  unto  the  valley  of  Mizpeh 
eastward;    and  they  smote  them,  until  they  left  them  none 


JOSHUA  119 

remaining.    And  Joshua  did  unto  them  as  Yahweh  bade  him: 
he  houghed  their  horses,  and  burnt  their  chariots  with  fire. 

Now  Joshua  was  old  and  well  stricken  in  years;  and  Yahweh 
said  unto  him,  "  Thou  art  old  and  well  stricken  in  years,  and 
there  remaineth  yet  very  much  land  to  be  possessed.  Now 
therefore  divide  this  land  for  an  inheritance." 

Nevertheless,  the  children  of  Israel  drave  not  out  the  Geshu- 
rites,  nor  the  Maacathites:  but  Geshur  and  Maacath  dwelt  in 
the  midst  of  Israel,  unto  this  day. 

And  Caleb  drove  out  thence  the  three  sons  of  Anak,  Sheshai, 
and  Ahiman,  and  Talmai,  the  children  of  Anak. 

And  he  went  up  thence  against  the  inhabitants  of  Debir: 
now  the  name  of  Debir  before  time  was  Kiriath-sepher.  And 
Caleb  said,  "  He  that  smiteth  Kiriath-sepher,  and  taketh  it,  to 
him  will  I  give  Achsah  my  daughter  to  mfe. 

And  Othniel  the  son  of  Kenaz,  the  brother  of  Caleb,  took  it: 
and  he  gave  him  Achsah  his  daughter  to  wife.  And  it  came  to 
pass,  when  she  came  unto  him,  that  she  moved  him  to  ask  of  her 
father  a  field:  and  she  lighted  down  from  off  her  ass;  and  Caleb 
said  unto  her,  "  What  wouldest  thou?  "  And  she  said,  "  Give 
me  a  blessing;  for  that  thou  hast  set  me  in  the  land  of  the  South, 
give  me  also  springs  of  water."  And  he  gave  her  the  upper 
springs  and  the  nether  springs. 

And  as  for  the  Jebusites,  the  inhabitants  of  Jerusalem,  the 
children  of  Judah  could  not  drive  them  out:  but  the  Jebusites 
dwelt  with  the  children  of  Judah  at  Jerusalem,  unto  this  day. 


And  the  lot  for  the  children  of  Joseph  went  out  from  the 
Jordan  at  Jericho,  at  the  waters  of  Jericho  on  the  east,  even  the 
wilderness,  going  up  from  Jericho  tln-ough  the  hill  country  to 
Beth-el;  and  it  went  out  from  Beth-el  to  Luz,  and  passed  along 
unto  the  border  of  the  Archites  to  Ataroth;  and  it  went  down 
westward  to  the  border  of  the  Japhletites,  unto  the  border  of 
Beth-horon  the  nether,  even  unto  Gezer:  and  the  goings  out 
thereof  were  at  the  sea. 


120  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

Together  with  the  cities  which  were  separated  for  the  children 
of  Ephraim  in  the  midst  of  the  inheritance  of  the  children  of 
Manasseh,  all  the  cities  with  their  villages. 

And  they  drave  not  out  the  Canaanites  that  dwelt  in  Gezer: 
but  the  Canaanites  dwelt  in  the  midst  of  Ephraim,  unto  this 
day,  and  became  servants  to  do  taskwork. 


As  for  Machir  the  first-born  of  Manasseh,  the  father  of  Gilead, 
because  he  was  a  man  of  war,  therefore,  he  had  Gilead  and 
Bashan.  And  the  lot  was  for  the  rest  of  the  children  of  Manasseh 
according  to  their  families;  for  the  children  of  Abiezer,  and  for 
the  children  of  Helek,  and  for  the  children  of  Asriel,  and  for  the 
children  of  Shechem,  and  for  the  children  of  Hepher,  and  for  the 
children  of  Shemida:  these  were  the  male  children  of  Manasseh 
the  son  of  Joseph  according  to  their  families.  The  land  of 
Tappuah  belonged  to  Manasseh :  but  Tappuah  on  the  border  of 
Manasseh  belonged  to  the  children  of  Ephraim:  these  cities 
l:)elonged  to  Ephraim  among  the  cities  of  Manasseh. 

And  Manasseh  had  in  Issachar  and  in  Asher  Beth-shean  and 
her  towns,  and  Ibleam  and  her  to\\ais,  and  the  inhabitants  of  Dor 
and  her  towns,  and  the  inhabitants  of  Taanach  and  her  towns, 
and  the  inhabitants  of  Megiddo  and  her  towns,  even  the  three 
heights.  Yet  the  children  of  Manasseh  could  not  drive  out  the 
inhabitants  of  those  cities;  but  the  Canaanites  would  dwell  in 
that  land.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  children  of  Israel 
were  waxen  strong,  that  they  put  the  Canaanites  to  taskwork 
and  did  not  utterly  drive  them  out. 

And  the  children  of  Joseph  spake  unto  Joshua,  saying,  "  Why 
hast  thou  given  me  but  one  lot  and  one  part  for  an  inheritance, 
seeing  I  am  a  great  people,  forasmuch  as  hitherto  Yahweh  hath 
blessed  me?  "  And  Joshua  said  unto  them,  "  If  thou  be  a  great 
people,  get  thee  up  to  the  forest,  and  cut  down  for  thyself  there 
in  the  land  of  the  Perizzites  and  of  the  Rephaim;  since  the  hill 
country  of  Ephraim  is  too  narrow  for  thee." 

And  the  children  of  Joseph  said,  "  The  hill  country  is  not 
enough  for  us;  and  all  the  Canaanites  that  dwell  in  the  land  of 
the  valley  have  chariots  of  iron,  both  they  who  are  in  Beth- 
shean  and  her  towns,  and  they  who  are  in  the  valley  of  Jezreel. 


JOSHUA  121 

And  Joshua  spake  unto  the  house  of  Joseph,  even  to  Ephraim 
and  to  Manasseh,  saying,  "  Thou  art  a  great  people,  and  hast 
great  power:  thou  shalt  not  have  one  lot  only:  but  the  hill 
country  shall  be  thine;  for  though  it  is  a  forest,  thou  shalt  cut  it 
down,  and  the  goings  out  thereof  shall  be  thine:  for  thou  shalt 
drive  out  the  Canaanites,  though  they  have  chariots  of  iron,  and 
though  they  be  strong. 


"  And  there  remained  among  the  children  of  Israel  seven  tribes 
which  had  not  yet  divided  their  inheritance.  And  Joshua  said 
unto  the  children  of  Israel,  '  How  long  are  ye  slack  to  go  in  to 
possess  the  land,  which  Yahweh,  the  God  of  your  fathers,  hath 
given  you?  Appoint  for  you  three  men  for  each  tribe:  and  I 
will  send  them,  and  they  shall  arise,  and  wallc  through  the  land, 
and  describe  it  according  to  their  inheritance;  and  they  shall 
come  unto  me.  And  they  shall  divide  it  into  seven  portions: 
Judah  shall  abide  in  his  border  on  the  south,  and  the  house  of 
Joseph  shall  abide  in  their  border  on  the  north.  And  j^e  shall 
describe  the  land  into  seven  portions,  and  bring  the  description 
hither  to  me:  and  I  will  cast  lots  for  you  here  before  Yahweh 
our  God.'  " 

And  the  men  arose,  and  went :  and  Joshua  charged  them  that 
went  to  describe  the  land,  saying,  "  Go  and  walk  through  the  land, 
and  describe  it,  and  come  again  to  me,  and  I  will  cast  lots  for 
you  here  before  Yahweh  in  Shiloh."  And  the  men  went  and 
passed  through  the  land,  and  described  it  by  cities  into  seven 
portions  in  a  book,  and  they  came  to  Joshua  unto  the  camp  at 
Shiloh.  And  Joshua  cast  lots  for  them  in  Shiloh  before  Yahweh: 
and  there  Joshua  divided  the  land  unto  the  children  of  Israel 
according  to  their  divisions. 


And  the  border  of  the  children  of  Dan  went  out  beyond  them : 
for  the  children  of  Dan  went  up  and  fought  against  Leshem,  and 
took  it,  and  smote  it  with  the  edge  of  the  sword,  and  possessed 
it,  and  dwelt  therein,  and  called  Leshem,  Dan,  after  the  name  of 
Dan  their  father. 


JUDGES 


JUDGES 
The  Story  of  the  Judges 

And  the  children  of  Israel  sent  tribute  by  him  unto  Eglon  the 
king  of  Moab.  And  Ehud  made  him  a  .sword  which  had  two 
edges,  a  cubit  in  length;  and  he  girded  it  under  his  raiment  upon 
his  right  thigh.  And  he  offered  the  tribute  unto  Eglon  king  of 
Moab:  now  Eglon  was  a  very  fat  man.  And  when  he  had  made 
an  end  of  offering  the  tribute,  he  sent  away  the  people  that  bare 
the  tribute.  But  he  himself  turned  back  from  the  quarries 
that  were  by  Gilgal,  and  said,  "  I  have  a  secret  errand  unto 
thee,  0  king."  And  he  said,  "  Keep  silence."  And  all  that 
stood  by  him  went  out  from  him.  And  Ehud  came  unto  him; 
and  he  was  sitting  by  himself  alone  in  the  cool  upper  room.  And 
Ehud  said,  "  I  have  a  message  from  God  unto  thee."  And  he 
arose  out  of  his  seat.  And  Ehud  put  forth  his  left  hand,  and  took 
the  sword  from  his  right  thigh,  and  thrust  it  into  his  body: 
and  the  haft  also  went  in  after  the  blade;  and  the  fat  closed  upon 
the  blade,  for  he  drew  not  the  sword  out  of  his  body;  and  it 
came  out  behind.  Then  Ehud  went  forth  into  the  porch,  and 
shut  the  doors  of  the  upper  room  upon  him,  and  locked  them. 

Now  when  he  was  gone  out,  his  servants  came;  and  they  saw, 
and,  behold,  the  doors  of  the  upper  room  were  locked;  and  they 
said,  "  Surely  he  is  covering  his  feet  in  the  upper  chamber."  And 
they  tarried  till  they  were  ashamed;  and,  behold,  he  opened  not 
the  doors  of  the  upper  room;  therefore  they  took  the  key,  and 
opened  them:  and,  behold,  their  lord  was  fallen  down  dead  on 
the  earth. 

And  Ehud  escaped  while  they  tarried,  and  passed  beyond  the 
quarries,  and  escaped  unto  Seirah.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when 
he  was  come,  that  he  blew  a  trumpet  in  the  hill  country  of 
Ephraim;  and  the  children  of  Israel  went  down  with  him  from 
the  hill  country,  and  he  before  them.  And  he  said  unto  them, 
"Follow  after  me;  for  Yahweh  hath  delivered  your  enemies 
the  Moabites  into  your  hand."    And  they  went  down  after 


126  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

him,  and  took  the  fords  of  the  Jordan  against  the  Moabites,  and 
suffered  not  a  man  to  pass. 


Now  Deborah,  a  prophetess,  the  wife  of  Lappidoth,  she 
judged  Israel  at  that  time.  And  she  dwelt  under  the  palm-tree 
of  Deborah  between  Ramah  and  Beth-el  in  the  hill  country  of 
Ephraim:  and  the  children  of  Israel  came  up  to  her  for  judgment. 
And  she  sent  and  called  Barak  the  son  of  Abinoam  out  of  Kedesh- 
naphtali,  and  said  unto  him,  "  Hath  not  Yahweh,  the  God  of 
Israel,  commanded,  saying,  '  Go  and  draw  unto  mount  Tabor, 
and  take  with  thee  ten  thousand  men  of  the  children  of  Naph- 
tali  and  of  the  children  of  Zebulun?  '  And  I  will  draw  unto  thee, 
to  the  river  Kishon,  Sisera,  the  captain  of  Jabin's  army,  with  his 
chariots  and  his  multitude;  and  I  will  deliver  him  into  thy 
hand."  And  Barak  said  unto  her,  "  If  thou  wilt  go  with  me, 
then  I  mil  go;  but  if  thou  wilt  not  go  with  me,  I  will  not  go." 
And  she  said,  "  I  wiU  surely  go  with  thee:  notwithstanding,  the 
journey  that  thou  takest  shall  not  be  for  thine  honour;  for 
Yahweh  will  sell  Sisera  into  the  hand  of  a  woman."  And  Debo- 
rah arose,  and  went  with  Barak  to  Kedesh.  And  Barak  called 
Zebulun  and  Naphtali  together  to  Kedesh;  and  there  went 
up  ten  thousand  men  at  his  feet:  and  Deborah  went  up 
with  him. 

Now  Heber  the  Kenite  had  separated  himself  from  the  Ke- 
nites,  even  from  the  children  of  Hobab  the  brother-in-law  of 
Moses,  and  had  pitched  his  tent  as  far  as  the  oak  in  Zaanannim, 
which  is  by  Kedesh. 

And  they  told  Sisera  that  Barak  the  son  of  Abinoam  was 
gone  up  to  mount  Tabor.  And  Sisera  gathered  together  all  his 
chariots,  even  nine  hundred  chariots  of  iron,  and  all  the  people 
that  were  with  him,  from  Harosheth  of  the  Gentiles,  unto  the 
river  Kishon.  And  Deborah  said  unto  Barak,  '^  Up;  for  this 
is  the  day  in  which  Yahweh  hath  delivered  Sisera  into  thy  hand : 
is  not  Yahweh  gone  out  before  thee?  "  So  Barak  went  down 
from  mount  Tabor,  and  ten  thousand  men  after  him.  And 
Yahweh  discomfited  Sisera,  and  all  his  chariots,  and  all  his 
host,  with  the  edge  of  the  sword  before  Barak;  and  Sisera 
alighted  from  his  chariot,  and  fled  away  on  his  feet.     But  Barak 


JUDGES  127 

pursued  after  the  chariots,  and  after  the  host,  unto  Harosheth 
of  the  Gentiles :  and  all  the  host  of  Sisera  fell  by  the  edge  of  the 
sword;  there  was  not  a  man  left. 

Howbeit  Sisera  fled  away  on  his  feet  to  the  tent  of  Jael  the 
wife  of  Heber  the  Kenite;  for  there  was  peace  between  Jabin 
the  king  of  Hazor  and  the  house  of  Heber  the  Kenite.  And 
Jael  went  out  to  meet  Sisera,  and  said  unto  him,  "  Turn  in,  my 
lord,  turn  in  to  me;  fear  not."  And  he  turned  in  unto  her  into 
the  tent,  and  she  covered  him  with  a  rug.  And  he  said  unto  her, 
'^  Give  me,  I  pray  thee,  a  little  water  to  drink;  for  I  am  thirsty." 
And  she  opened  a  bottle  of  milk,  and  gave  him  drink,  and  covered 
him.  And  he  said  unto  her,  "  Stand  in  the  door  of  the  tent,  and 
it  shall  be,  when  any  man  doth  come  and  inquire  of  thee,  and 
say,  '  Is  there  any  man  here?  that  thou  shalt  say.  No.'  "  Then 
Jael  Heber's  wife  took  a  tent-pin,  and  took  a  hammer  in  her  hand, 
and  went  softly  unto  him,  and  smote  the  pin  into  his  temples, 
and  it  pierced  through  into  the  ground;  for  he  was  in  a  deep 
sleep;  so  he  swooned  and  died.  And,  behold,  as  Barah  pursued 
Sisera,  Jael  came  out  to  meet  him,  and  said  unto  him,  "  Come, 
and  I  will  show  thee  the  man  whom  thou  seekest."  And  he 
came  unto  her;  and,  behold,  Sisera  lay  dead,  and  the  tent-pin 
was  in  his  temples. 


Then  sang  Deborah  and  Barak  the  son  of  Abinoam  on  that 
day,  saying, 

"  For  that  the  leaders  took  the  lead  in  Israel, 
For  that  the  people  offered  themselves  willingly. 
Bless  ye  Yahweh. 

Hear,  0  ye  kings;  give  ear,  0  ye  princes; 
I,  even  I,  will  sing  unto  Yahweh; 
I  will  sing  praise  to  Yahweh  the  God  of  Israel. 
Yahweh,  when  thou  wentest  forth  out  of  Seir, 
When  thou  marchedst  out  of  the  field  of  Edora, 
The  earth  trembled,  the  heavens  also  dropped, 
Yea,  the  clouds  dropped  water. 
The  mountains  quaked  at  the  presence  of  Yahweh, 
Even  yon  Sinai  at  the  presence  of  Yahweh,  the  God  of  Israel. 


12S  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

In  the  days  of  Shamgar  the  son  of  Anath, 

In  the  clays  of  Jael,  the  highways  were  unoccupied, 

And  the  travelers  walked  through  byways. 

The  rulers  ceased  in  Israel,  they  ceased, 

Until  that  I  Deborah  arose. 

That  I  arose  a  mother  in  Israel. 

They  chose  new  gods; 

Then  was  war  in  the  gates : 

Was  there  a  shield  or  spear  seen 

Among  forty  thousand  in  Israel? 

My  heart  is  toward  the  governors  of  Israel, 

That  offered  themselves  willingly  among  the  people: 

Bless  ye  Yahweh. 

Tell  of  it,  ye  that  ride  on  white  asses, 

Ye  that  sit  on  rich  carpets, 

And  ye  that  walk  by  the  way, 

Far  from  the  noise  of  archers,  in  the  places  of  drawing  water, 

There  shall  they  rehearse  righteous  acts  of  Yahweh, 

Even  the  righteous  acts  of  his  rule  in  Israel. 

Then  the  people  of  Yahweh  went  down  to  the  gates. 

Awake,  awake,  Deborah; 

Awake,  awake,  utter  a  song: 

Arise,   Barak,   and  lead  away  thy  captives,  thou  son  of 

Abinoam. 
Then  came  down  a  remnant  of  the  nobles  and  the  people; 
Yahweh  came  down  for  me  against  the  mighty. 
Out  of  Ephraim  came  down  they  whose  root  is  in  Amalek; 
After  thee,  Benjamin,  among  th}''  peoples; 
Out  of  Machir  came  down  governors, 
And  out  of  Zebulun  they  that  handle  the  marshal's  staff. 
And  the  princes  of  Issachar  were  with  Deborah; 
As  was  Issachar,  so  was  Barak; 
Into  the  valley  they  rushed  forth  at  his  feet. 
By  the  watercourses  of  Reuben 
There  were  great  resolves  of  heart. 
Why  satest  thou  among  the  sheepfolds. 
To  hear  the  pipings  for  the  flocks? 


JUDGES  129 

At  the  watercourses  of  Reuben 

There  were  great  searchings  of  heart. 

Gilead  abode  beyond  the  Jordan: 

And  Dan,  why  did  he  remain  in  sliips? 

Asher  sat  still  at  the  haven  of  the  sea, 

And  abode  by  his  creeks. 

Zebulun  was  a  people  that  jeoparded  their  lives  unto  the 

death, 
And  Naphtali,  upon  the  high  places  of  the  field. 

The  kings  came  and  fought ; 

Then  fought  the  kings  of  Canaan, 

In  Taanach  by  the  waters  of  Megiddo: 

They  took  no  gain  of  money. 

From  heaven  fought  the  stars, 

From  their  courses  they  fought  against  Sisera. 

The  river  Kishon  swept  them  away, 

That  ancient  river,  the  river  Kishon. 

0  my  soul,  march  on  with  strength. 

Then  did  the  horsehoofs  stamp 

By  reason  of  the  prancings,  the  praneings  of  their  strong 

ones. 
Curse  ye  Meroz,  said  the  angel  of  Yahweh, 
Curse  ye  bitterly  the  inhabitants  thereof; 
Because  they  came  not  to  the  help  of  Yahweh, 
To  the  help  of  Yahweh  against  the  might3\ 

Blessed  above  women  shall  Jael  be. 

The  wife  of  Heber  the  Kenite; 

Blessed  shall  she  be  above  women  in  the  tent. 

He  asked  water,  and  she  gave  him  milk; 

She  brought  him  butter  in  a  lordly  dish. 

She  put  her  hand  to  the  tent-pin, 

And  her  right  hand  to  the  workmen's  hammer; 

And  with  the  hammer  she  smote  Sisera,  she  smote  through 

his  head; 
Yea,  she  pierced  and  struck  through  his  temples. 
At  her  feet  he  bowed,  he  fell,  he  lay; 
At  her  feet  he  bowed,  he  fell: 
Where  he  bowed,  there  he  fell  down  dead. 


130  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

Through  the  window  she  looked  forth,  and  cried, 

The  mother  of  Sisera  cried  through  the  lattice, 

Wliy  is  his  chariot  so  long  in  coming? 

Wliy  tarry  the  wheels  of  his  chariots? 

Her  wise  ladies  answered  her, 

Yea,  she  returned  answer  to  herself, 

Have  they  not  found,  have  they  not  divided  the  spoil? 

A  damsel,  two  damsels  to  every  man; 

To  Sisera  a  spoil  of  dyed  garments, 

A  spoil  of  dyed  garments  embroidered. 

Of  dyed  garments  embroidered  on  both  sides,  on  the  necks 

of  the  spoil? 
So  let  all  thine  enemies  perish,  O  Yahweh : 
But  let  them  that  love  him  be  as  the  sun  when  he  goeth  forth 

in  his  might." 


And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  children  of  Israel  cried  unto 
Yahweh  because  of  Midian,  that  Yahweh  sent  a  prophet  unto 
the  children  of  Israel:  and  he  said  unto  them,  "  Thus  saith 
Yahweh,  the  God  of  Israel,  I  brought  you  up  from  Egypt,  and 
brought  you  forth  out  of  the  house  of  bondage;  and  I  delivered 
you  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Egyptians,  and  out  of  the  hand  of  all 
that  oppressed  you,  and  drove  them  out  from  before  you,  and 
gave  you  their  land;  and  I  said  unto  ^''ou,  '  I  am  Yahweh  your 
God;  ye  shall  not  fear  the  gods  of  the  Amorites,  in  whose  land  j^e 
dwell.'    But  ye  have  not  hearkened  unto  my  voice." 

And  the  angel  of  Yahweh  came,  and  sat  under  the  oak  which 
was  in  Ophrah,  that  pertained  unto  Joash  the  Abiezrite:  and 
his  son  Gideon  was  beating  out  wheat  in  the  wine-press,  to  hide 
it  from  the  Midianites.  And  the  angel  of  Yahweh  appeared 
unto  him,  and  said  unto  him,  "  Yahweh  is  with  thee,  thou  mighty 
man  of  valour."  And  Gideon  said  unto  him,  "  Oh,  my  lord,  if 
Yahweh  is  with  us,  why  then  is  all  this  befallen  us?  and  where  are 
all  his  wondrous  works  which  our  fathers  told  us  of,  saying, 
'  Did  not  Yaliweh  bring  us  up  from  Egypt?  '  but  now  Yahweh 
hath  cast  us  off,  and  delivered  us  into  the  hand  of  Midian." 
And  Yahweh  looked  upon  him,  and  said,  "  Go  in  this  thy  might, 
and  save  Israel  from  the  hand  of  Midian:  have  not  I  sent  thee?" 


JUDGES  131 

And  he  said  unto  him,  ''  Oh,  Lord,  wherewith  shall  I  save  Israel? 
behold,  my  family  is  the  poorest  in  Manasseh,  and  I  am  the  least 
in  my  father's  house."  And  Yahweh  said  unto  him,  "  Surely  I 
will  be  with  thee,  and  thou  shalt  smite  the  Midianites  as  one 
man."  And  he  said  unto  him,  "  If  now  I  have  found  favour  in 
thy  sight,  then  show  me  a  sign  that  it  is  thou  that  talkest  with 
me.  Depart  not  hence,  I  pray  thee,  until  I  come  unto  thee,  and 
bring  forth  my  present,  and  laj''  it  before  thee."  And  he  said, 
"  I  will  tarry  until  thou  come  again." 

And  Gideon  went  in,  and  made  ready  a  kid,  and  unleavened 
cakes  of  an  ephah  of  meal:  the  flesh  he  put  in  a  basket  and  he 
put  the  broth  in  a  pot,  and  brought  it  out  unto  him  under  the 
oak,  and  presented  it.  And  the  angel  of  God  said  unto  him, 
"  Take  the  flesh  and  the  unleavened  cakes,  and  lay  them  upon 
this  rock,  and  pour  out  the  broth."  And  he  did  so.  Then  the 
angel  of  Yahweh  put  forth  the  end  of  the  staff  that  was  in  his 
hand,  and  touched  the  flesh  and  the  unleavened  cakes;  and  there 
went  up  fire  out  of  the  rock,  and  consumed  the  flesh  and  the  un- 
leavened cakes;  and  the  angel  of  Yahweh  departed  out  of  his 
sight.  And  Gideon  saw  that  he  was  the  angel  of  Yahweh;  and 
Gideon  said,  "  Alas,  0  Lord  Yahweh!  forasmuch  as  I  have  seen 
the  angel  of  Yahweh  face  to  face."  And  Yahweh  said  unto  him, 
''Peace  be  unto  thee;  fear  not:  thou  shalt  not  die."  Then 
Gideon  built  an  altar  there  unto  Yahweh,  and  called  it  Yahweh- 
shalom:  unto  this  day  it  is  yet  in  Ophrah  of  the  Abiezrites. 

And  it  came  to  pass  the  same  night,  that  Yahweh  said  unto 
him,  "  Take  thy  father's  bullock,  even  the  second  bullock  seven 
years  old,  and  throw  down  the  altar  of  Baal  that  thy  father  hath, 
and  cut  down  the  Asherah  that  is  by  it ;  and  build  an  altar  unto 
Yahweh  thy  God  upon  the  top  of  this  stronghold,  in  the  orderly 
manner,  and  take  the  second  bullock,  and  offer  a  burnt-offering 
with  the  wood  of  the  Asherah  which  thou  shalt  cut  down." 
Then  Gideon  took  ten  men  of  his  servants,  and  did  as  Yahweh 
had  spoken  unto  him :  and  it  came  to  pass,  because  he  feared  his 
father's  household  and  the  men  of  the  city,  so  that  he  could  not 
do  it  b}^  day,  that  he  did  it  by  night. 

And  when  the  men  of  the  city  arose  early  in  the  morning, 
behold,  the  altar  of  Baal  was  broken  down,  and  the  Asherah 
was  cut  dov/n  that  was  by  it,  and  tlie  second  bullock  was  offered 


132  THE  BOOK  OF  YAIIWEH 

upon  the  altar  that  was  built.  And  they  said  one  to  another, 
"  Who  hath  done  this  thing?  "  And  when  they  inquired  and 
asked,  they  said,  "  Gideon  the  son  of  Joash  hath  done  this  thing." 
Then  the  men  of  the  city  said  unto  Joash,  "  Bring  out  thy  son, 
that  he  may  die,  because  he  hath  broken  down  the  altar  of  Baal, 
and  because  he  hath  cut  down  the  Asherah  that  was  by  it." 
And  Joash  said  unto  all  that  stood  against  him,  "  Will  ye  con- 
tend for  Baal?  or  will  ye  save  him?  he  that  will  contend  for  him, 
let  him  be  put  to  death  whilst  it  is  yet  morning:  if  he  be  a  god, 
let  him  contend  for  himself,  because  one  hath  broken  down  his 
altar."  Therefore,  on  that  day  he  called  him  Jerub-baal, 
saying,  "  Let  Baal  contend  against  him,  because  he  hath  broken 
down  his  altar." 

Then  all  the  Midianites  and  the  Amalekites  and  the  children 
of  the  east  assembled  themselves  together;  and  thej^  passed 
over,  and  encamped  in  the  valley  of  Jezreel.  But  the  Spirit  of 
Yahweh  came  upon  Gideon;  and  he  blew  a  trumpet;  and 
Abiezer  was  gathered  together  after  him.  And  he  sent  mes- 
sengers throughout  all  Manasseh;  and  they  also  were  gathered 
together  after  him:  and  he  sent  messengers  unto  Asher,  and 
unto  Zebulun,  and  unto  Naphtali;  and  they  came  up  to  meet 
them. 

And  Gideon  said  unto  God,  "  If  thou  wilt  save  Israel  by  my 
hand,  as  thou  hast  spoken,  behold,  I  will  put  a  fleece  of  wool  on 
the  threshing-floor;  if  there  be  dew  on  the  fleece  only,  and  it  be 
dry  upon  all  the  ground,  then  shall  I  know  that  thou  w^lt  save 
Israel  by  my  hand,  as  thou  hast  spoken."  And  it  was  so;  for 
he  rose  up  early  on  the  morrow,  and  pressed  the  fleece  together, 
and  wTung  the  dew  out  of  the  fleece,  a  bowlful  of  water.  And 
Gideon  said  unto  God,  "  Let  not  thine  anger  be  kindled  against 
me,  and  I  will  speak  but  this  once:  let  me  make  trial,  I  pray 
thee,  but  this  once  with  the  fleece;  let  it  now  be  dry  only  upon 
the  fleece,  and  upon  all  the  ground  let  there  be  dew."  And  God 
did  so  that  night:  for  it  was  dry  upon  the  fleece  only,  and  there 
was  dew  on  all  the  ground. 


Then  Jerubbaal,  who  is  Gideon,  and  all  the  people  that  were 
with  him,  rose  up  earlj^  and  encamped  beside  the  spring  of 


JUDGES  133 

Harod :  and  the  camp  of  Midian  was  on  the  north  side  of  them, 
by  the  hill  of  Moreh,  in  the  valley. 

And  Yahweh  said  unto  Gideon,  "  The  people  that  are  with  thee 
are  too  many  for  me  to  give  the  Midianites  into  their  hand, 
lest  Israel  vaunt  themselves  against  me,  saying,  '  Mine  own 
hand  hath  saved  me.'  "  Now  therefore  proclaim  in  the  ears  of 
the  people,  saying,  "  Whosoever  is  fearful  and  trembling,  let 
him  return  and  depart  from  mount  Gilead."  And  there  returned 
of  the  people  twenty  and  two  thousand ;  and  there  remained  ten 
thousand. 

And  Yahweh  said  unto  Gideon,  "  The  people  are  yet  too  many; 
bring  them  down  unto  the  water,  and  I  will  try  them  for  thee 
there:  and  it  shall  be,  that  of  whom  I  say  unto  thee,  This  shall 
go  with  thee,  the  same  shall  go  with  thee;  and  of  whomsoever  I 
say  unto  thee,  This  shall  not  go  with  thee,  the  same  shall  not 
go."  So  he  brought  down  the  people  unto  the  water :  and  Yah- 
weh said  unto  Gideon,  "  Every  one  that  lappeth  of  the  water 
with  his  tongue,  as  a  dog  lappeth,  him  shall  thou  set  by  himself; 
likewise  every  one  that  boweth  down  upon  his  knees  to  drink." 
And  the  number  of  them  that  lapped,  putting  their  hand  to  their 
mouth,  was  three  hundred  men:  but  all  the  rest  of  the  people 
bowed  down  upon  their  knees  to  drink  water.  And  Yahweh 
said  unto  Gideon,  "  By  the  three  hundred  men  that  lapped  will  I 
save  you,  and  deliver  the  Midianites  into  thy  hand;  and  let  all 
the  people  go  every  man  unto  his  place."  So  the  people  took 
victuals  in  their  hand,  and  their  trumpets;  and  he  sent  all  the 
men  of  Israel  every  man  unto  his  tent,  but  retained  the  three 
hundred  men :  and  the  camp  of  Midian  was  beneath  him  in  the 
valley. 

And  it  came  to  pass  the  same  night,  that  Yahweh  said  unto 
him,  '^  Ai'ise,  get  thee  down  into  the  camp;  for  I  have  delivered 
it  into  thy  hand.  But  if  thou  fear  to  go  down,  go  thou  with 
Purah  thy  servant  down  to  the  camp :  and  thou  shalt  hear  what 
they  say;  and  afterward  shall  thy  hands  be  strengthened  to 
go  down  into  the  camp."  Then  went  he  down  mth  Purah  his 
servant  unto  the  outermost  part  of  the  armed  men  that  were  in 
the  camp.  And  the  Midianites  and  the  Amalekites  and  all 
the  children  of  the  east  lay  along  in  the  valley  like  locusts  for 
multitude;   and  their  camels  were  without  number,  as  the  sand 


134  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

which  is  upon  the  seashore  for  multitude.  And  when  Gideon 
was  come,  behold,  there  was  a  man  telling  a  dream  unto  his 
fellow;  and  he  said,  "  Behold,  I  dreamed  a  dream;  and,  lo,  a 
cake  of  barley  bread  tumbled  into  the  camp  of  Midian,  and  came 
unto  the  tent,  and  smote  it  so  that  it  fell,  and  turned  it  upside 
down,  so  that  the  tent  lay  flat."  And  his  fellow  answered  and 
said,  "  This  is  nothing  else  save  the  sword  of  Gideon  the  son  of 
Joash,  a  man  of  Israel :  into  his  hand  God  hath  delivered  Midian, 
and  all  the  host." 

And  it  was  so,  when  Gideon  heard  the  telling  of  the  dream, 
and  the  interpretation  thereof,  that  he  worshipped;  and  he  re- 
turned into  the  camp  of  Israel,  and  said,  "  Arise;  for  Yahweh 
hath  deUvered  into  your  hand  the  host  of  Midian."  And  he 
divided  the  three  hundred  men  into  three  companies,  and  he  put 
into  the  hands  of  all  of  them  trumpets,  and  empty  pitchers,  with 
torches  within  the  pitchers.  And  he  said  unto  them,  "  Look 
on  me,  and  do  likewise:  and,  behold,  when  I  come  to  the  outer- 
most part  of  the  camp,  it  shall  be  that,  as  I  do,  so  shall  ye  do. 
When  I  blow  the  trumpet,  I  and  all  that  are  with  me,  then  blow 
ye  the  trumpets  also  on  every  side  of  all  the  camp,  and  say, 
'  For  Yahweh  and  for  Gideon.'  " 

So  Gideon,  and  the  hundred  men  that  were  with  him,  came 
unto  the  outerm.ost  part  of  the  camp  in  the  beginning  of  the 
middle  watch,  when  they  had  but  newly  set  the  watch:  and  they 
blew  the  trumpets,  and  brake  in  pieces  the  pitchers  that  were  in 
their  hands.  And  the  three  companies  blew  the  trumpets, 
and  brake  the  pitchers,  and  held  the  torches  in  their  left  hands, 
and  the  trumpets  in  their  right  hands  wherewith  to  blow;  and 
they  cried,  "  The  sword  of  Yahweh  and  of  Gideon."  And  they 
stood  every  man  in  his  place  round  about  the  camp ;  and  all  the 
host  ran;  and  they  shouted,  and  put  them  to  flight.  And  they 
blew  the  three  hundred  trumpets,  and  Yahweh  set  every  man's 
sword  against  his  fellovv',  and  against  all  the  host;  and  the  host 
fled  as  far  as  Beth-shittah  toward  Zererah,  as  far  as  the  border  of 
Abel-me-holali,  by  Tabbath.  And  the  men  of  Israel  were  gath- 
ered together  out  of  Naphtali,  and  out  of  Asher,  and  out  of  all 
Manasseh,  and  pursued  after  Midian. 

And  Gideon  sent  messengers  throughout  all  the  hiU  country 
of   Ephraim,  saying,    "  Come  down  against  Midan,  and  take 


JUDGES  135 

before  them  the  waters,  as  far  as  Beth-barah,  even  the  Jordan." 
So  all  the  men  of  Ephraim  were  gathered  together,  and  took 
the  waters  as  far  as  Beth-barah,  even  the  Jordan.  And  they 
took  the  two  princes  of  Midian,  Oreb  and  Zeeb;  and  they 
slew  Oreb  at  the  rock  of  Oreb,  and  Zeeb  they  slew  at  the 
winepress  of  Zeeb,  and  pursued  Midian;  and  they  brought  the 
heads  of  Oreb  and  Zee!)  to  Gideon  beyond  the  Jordan. 


And  the  men  of  Ephraim  said  unto  him,  "  Why  hast  thou 
served  us  thus,  that  thou  calledst  us  not,  when  thou  wentest  to 
fight  with  Midian?  "  And  they  did  chide  with  him  sharply. 
And  he  said  unto  them,  '^  What  have  I  now  done  in  comparison 
^vith  you?  Is  not  the  gleaning  of  the  grapes  of  Ephraim  better 
than  the  vintage  of  Abiezer?  God  hath  delivered  into  your 
hand  the  princes  of  Midian,  Oreb  and  Zeeb:  and  what  was  I 
able  to  do  in  comparison  with  you?  "  Then  their  anger  was 
abated  toward  him,  when  he  had  said  that. 

And  Gideon  came  to  the  Jordan,  and  passed  over,  he,  and  the 
three  hundred  men  that  were  with  him,  faint,  yet  pursuing. 
And  he  said  unto  the  men  of  Succoth,  *'  Give,  I  pray  you,  loaves 
of  bread  unto  the  people  that  follow  me;  for  they  are  faint,  and 
I  am  pursuing  after  Zebah  and  Zalmunna,  the  kings  of  Midian." 
And  the  princes  of  Succoth  said,  "  Ai'e  the  hands  of  Zebah  and 
Zalmunna  now  in  thy  hand,  that  we  should  give  bread  unto  thine 
army?"  And  Gideon  said,  "  Therefore  when  Yahweh  hath 
dehvered  Zebah  and  Zalmunna  into  my  hand,  then  I  will  tear 
your  flesh  with  the  thorns  of  the  wilderness  and  with  briers." 
And  he  went  up  thence  to  Penuel,  and  spake  unto  them  in  like 
manner;  and  the  men  of  Penuel  answered  him  as  the  men  of 
Succoth  had  answered.  And  he  spake  also  unto  the  men  of 
Penuel,  saying,  "  When  I  come  again  in  peace,  I  will  break  down 
this  tower." 

Now  Zebah  and  Zalmunna  were  in  Karkor,  and  their  hosts 
with  them,  about  fifteen  thousand  men,  all  that  were  left  of  all 
the  host  of  the  children  of  the  east ;  for  there  fell  a  hundred  and 
twentj''  thousand  men  that  drew  sword.  And  Gideon  went  up 
by  the  way  of  them  that  dwelt  in  tents  on  the  east  of  Nobah 
and  Jogbehah,  and  smote  the  host;    for  the  host  was  secure. 


136  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  Zebah  and  Zalmunna  fled;  and  he  pursued  after  them;  and 
he  took  the  two  kings  of  Midian,  Zebah  and  Zalmunna,  and  dis- 
comfited all  the  host. 

And  Gideon  the  son  of  Joash  returned  from  the  battle  from  the 
ascent  of  Heres.  And  he  caught  a  young  man  of  the  men  of 
Succoth,  and  inquired  of  him:  and  he  described  for  him  the 
princes  of  Succoth,  and  the  elders  thereof,  seventy  and  seven 
men.  And  he  came  unto  the  men  of  Succoth,  and  said,  "  Be- 
hold Zebah  and  Zalmunna,  concerning  whom  ye  did  taunt  me, 
sajdng,  '  Are  the  hands  of  Zebah  and  Zalmunna  now  in  thy 
hand,  that  we  should  give  bread  unto  thy  men  that  are  weary?  '  " 
And  he  took  the  elders  of  the  city,  and  thorns  of  the  wilderness 
and  briers,  and  with  them  he  taught  the  men  of  Succoth.  And 
he  brake  down  the  tower  of  Penuel,  and  slew  the  men  of  the  city. 

Then  said  he  unto  Zebah  and  Zalmunna,  "  What  manner  of 
men  were  they  whom  ye  slew  at  Tabor?  "  And  they  answered, 
"  As  thou  art,  so  were  thej^;  each  one  resembled  the  children  of 
a  king."  Aiid  he  said,  "  They  were  my  brethren,  the  sons  of  my 
mother:  as  Yahweh  liveth,  if  ye  had  saved  them  alive,  I  would 
not  slay  you."  And  he  said  unto  Jether  his  firstborn,  "  Up,  and 
slay  them."  But  the  youth  drew  not  his  sword;  for  he  feared, 
because  he  was  j'^et  a  youth.  Then  Zebah  and  Zalmunna 
said,  ''  Rise  thou,  and  fall  upon  us;  for  as  the  man  is,  so  is  his 
strength."  And  Gideon  arose,  and  slew  Zebah  and  Zalmunna, 
and  took  the  crescents  that  were  on  their  camels'  necks. 

Then  the  men  of  Israel  said  unto  Gideon,  "  Rule  thou  over  us, 
both  thou,  and  th}^  son,  and  th}^  son's  son  also;  for  thou  hast 
saA^ed  us  out  of  the  hand  of  Midian."  And  Gideon  said  unto 
them,  "  I  will  not  rule  over  j^ou,  neither  shall  mj''  son  rule  over 
you :  Yahweh  shall  rule  over  you."  And  Gideon  said  unto  them, 
"  I  would  make  a  request  of  you,  that  ye  would  give  me  every 
man  the  ear-rings  of  his  spoil."  (For  they  had  golden  ear-rings, 
because  they  were  Ishmaelites.)  And  they  answered,  "  We  will 
willingly  give  them."  And  they  spread  a  garment,  and  did  cast 
therein  every  man  the  ear-rings  of  his  spoil.  And  the  weight  of 
the  golden  ear-rings  that  he  requested  was  a  thousand  and  seven 
hundred  shekels  of  gold;  besides  the  crescents,  and  the  pendants, 
and  the  purple  raiment  that  was  on  the  kings  of  Midian,  and 
besides  the  chains  that  were  about  their  camels'  necks.     And 


JUDGES  137 

Gideon  made  an  ephod  thereof,  and  put  it  in  his  city,  even  in 
Ophrah. 


And  Abimelech  the  son  of  Jerubbaal  went  to  Shechem  unto 
his  mother's  brethren,  and  spake  with  them,  and  with  all  the 
family  of  the  house  of  his  mother's  father,  saying,  "  Speak,  I 
pray  you,  in  the  ears  of  all  the  men  of  Shechem,  Whether  is 
better  for  you,  that  all  the  sons  of  Jerubbaal,  who  are  threescore 
and  ten  persons,  rule  over  you,  or  that  one  rule  over  you?  re- 
member also  that  I  am  your  bone  and  your  flesh."  And  his 
mother's  brethren  spake  of  him  in  the  ears  of  all  the  men  of 
Shechem  all  these  words:  and  their  hearts  inclined  to  follow 
Abimelech;  for  they  said,  "  He  is  our  brother."  And  they 
gave  him  threescore  and  ten  pieces  of  silver  out  of  the  house  of 
Baal-berith,  wherewith  Abimelech  hired  vain  and  light  fellows, 
who  followed  him.  And  he  went  unto  his  father's  house  at 
Ophrah,  and  slew  his  brethren  the  sons  of  Jerubbaal,  being  three- 
score and  ten  persons,  upon  one  stone :  but  Jotham  the  youngest 
son  of  Jerubbaal  was  left;  for  he  hid  himself.  And  all  the  men 
of  Shechem  assembled  themselves  together,  and  all  the  house  of 
Millo,  and  went  and  made  Abimelech  king,  by  the  oak  of  the 
pillar  that  was  in  Shechem. 

And  when  they  told  it  to  Jotham,  he  went  and  stood  on  the 
top  of  mount  Gerizim,  and  lifted  up  his  voice,  and  cried,  and  said 
unto  them,  "  Hearken  unto  me,  ye  men  of  Shechem,  that  God 
may  hearken  unto  you.  The  trees  went  forth  on  a  time  to 
anoint  a  king  over  them;  and  they  said  unto  the  olive-tree, 
'  Reign  thou  over  us.'  But  the  olive-tree  said  unto  them, 
*  Should  I  leave  my  fatness,  wherewith  by  me  they  honor  God 
and  man,  and  go  to  wave  to  and  fro  over  the  trees? '  And  the 
trees  said  to  the  fig-tree,  '  Come  thou,  and  reign  over  us.'  But 
the  fig-tree  said  unto  them,  '  Should  I  leave  my  sweetness,  and 
my  good  fruit,  and  go  to  wave  to  and  fro  over  the  trees?  '  And 
the  trees  said  unto  the  vine,  '  Come  thou,  and  reign  over  us.* 
And  the  vine  said  unto  them, '  Should  I  leave  my  new  wine,  which 
cheereth  God  and  man,  and  go  to  wave  to  and  fro  over  the  trees?' 
Then  said  all  the  trees  unto  the  bramble,  '  Come  thou,  and  reign 
over  us.'    And  the  bramble  said  unto  the  trees,  '  If  in  truth  ye 


138  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

anoint  me  king  over  you,  then  come  and  take  refuge  in  my  shade; 
and  if  not,  let  fire  come  out  of  the  bramble,  and  devour  the  cedars 
of  Lebanon.'  Now  therefore,  if  ye  have  dealt  trulj^  and  uprightly, 
in  that  ye  have  made  Abimelech  king,  and  if  ye  have  dealt  well 
with  Jerubbaal  and  his  house,  and  have  done  unto  him  according 
to  the  deserving  of  his  hands;  (for  my  father  fought  for  you,  and 
adventured  his  life,  and  delivered  you  out  of  the  hand  of  Midian : 
and  ye  are  risen  up  against  my  father's  house  this  day,  and  have 
slain  his  sons,  three  score  and  ten  persons,  upon  one  stone,  and 
have  made  Abimelech,  the  son  of  his  maid-servant,  king  over  the 
men  of  Shechem,  because  he  is  your  brother;)  if  ye  then  have 
dealt  truly  and  uprightly  with  Jerubbaal  and  with  his  house  this 
day,  then  rejoice  ye  in  Abimelech,  and  let  him  also  rejoice  in 
you:  but  if  not,  let  fire  come  out  from  Abimelech,  and  devour 
the  men  of  Shechem,  and  the  house  of  Millo;  and  let  fire  come 
out  from  the  men  of  Shechem,  and  from  the  house  of  Millo, 
and  devour  Abimelech."  And  Jotham  ran  away,  and  fled, 
and  went  to  Beer,  and  dwelt  there,  for  fear  of  Abimelech  his 
brother. 

And  Abimelech  was  prince  over  Israel  three  j-ears.  And 
God  sent  an  evil  spirit  between  Abimelech  and  the  men  of  She- 
chem; and  the  men  of  Shechem  dealt  treacherously  mth  Abime- 
lech: that  the  violence  done  to  the  threescore  and  ten  sons  of 
Jerubbaal  might  come,  and  that  their  blood  might  be  laid  upon 
Abimelech  their  brother,  who  slew  them,  and  upon  the  men  of 
Shechem,  who  strengthened  his  hands  to  slay  his  brethren. 
And  the  men  of  Shechem  set  liers-in-wait  for  him  on  the  tops  of 
the  mountains,  and  they  robbed  all  that  came  along  that  way 
by  them:   and  it  was  told  Abimelech. 

And  Gaal  the  son  of  Ebed  came  mth  his  brethren,  and  went 
over  to  Shechem;  and  the  men  of  Shechem  put  their  trust  in 
him.  And  they  went  out  into  the  field,  and  gathered  their 
vineyards,  and  trod  the  grapes,  and  held  festival,  and  went  into 
the  house  of  their  god,  and  did  eat  and  drink,  and  cursed  Abime- 
lech. .\nd  Gaal  the  son  of  Ebed  said,  "  Who  is  Abimelech,  and 
who  is  Shechem,  that  we  should  serve  him?  is  not  he  the  son  of 
Jerubbaal?  and  Zebul  his  officer?  serve  ye  the  men  of  Hamor 
the  father  of  Shechem:  but  why  should  we  serve  him?  And 
would  that  this  people  were  under  mj^  hand!    then  would  I  re- 


JUDGES  139 

move  Abimelech."    And  he  said  to  Abimelech,  "  Increase  thine 
array,  and  come  out." 

And  when  Zebul  the  ruler  of  the  city  heard  the  words  of  Gaal 
the  son  of  Ebed,  his  anger  was  kindled.  And  he  sent  messengers 
unto  Abimelech  craftilj-,  saying,  "  Behold,  Gaal  the  son  of  Ebed 
and  his  brethren  are  come  to  Sliechem;  and,  behold,  they  con- 
strain the  city  to  take  part  against  thee.  Now  therefore,  up  by 
night,  thou  and  the  people  that  are  with  thee,  and  lie  in  wait  in 
the  field :  and  it  shall  be,  that  in  the  morning,  as  soon  as  the  sun  is 
up,  thou  shalt  rise  early,  and  rush  upon  the  city;  and,  behold, 
when  he  and  the  people  that  are  with  him  come  out  against  thee^ 
then  mayest  thou  do  to  them  as  thou  shalt  find  occasion." 

And  Abimelech  rose  up,  and  all  the  people  that  were  with 
him,  by  night,  and  they  laid  wait  against  Shechem  in  four  com- 
panies. And  Gaal  the  son  of  Ebed  went  out,  and  stood  in  the 
entrance  of  the  gate  of  the  city :  and  Abimelech  rose  up,  and  the 
people  that  were  with  him,  from  the  ambushment.  And  when 
Gaal  saw  the  people,  he  said  to  Zebul,  ''  Behold,  there  come 
people  down  from  the  tops  of  the  mountains."  And  Zebul  said 
unto  him,  "  Thou  seest  the  shadow  of  the  mountains  as  if  they 
were  men."  And  Gaal  spake  again  and  said,  "  See,  there  come 
people  down  by  the  middle  of  the  land,  and  one  company  cometh 
by  the  way  of  the  oak  of  Meonenim."  Then  said  Zebul  unto 
him,  "  Where  is  now  thy  mouth,  that  thou  saidst, '  Who  is  Abime- 
lech, that  we  should  serve  him?  '  is  not  this  the  people  that  thou 
hast  despised?  go  out  now,  I  pray,  and  fight  with  them."  And 
Gaal  went  out  before  the  men  of  Shechem,  and  fought  with 
Abimelech.  And  Abimelech  chased  him,  and  he  fled  before 
him,  and  there  fell  many  wounded,  even  unto  the  entrance  of 
the  gate. 

And  Abimelech  dwelt  at  Arumah:  and  Zebul  drove  out  Gaal 
and  his  brethren,  that  they  should  not  dwell  in  Shechem.  And 
it  came  to  pass  on  the  m.orrow,  that  the  people  went  out  into  the 
field;  and  they  told  Abimelech.  And  he  took  the  people,  and 
divided  them  into  three  companies,  and  laid  wait  in  the  field; 
and  he  looked,  and,  behold,  the  people  came  forth  out  of  the 
city;  and  he  rose  up  against  them,  and  smote  them.  And 
Abimelech,  and  the  companies  that  were  with  him,  rushed  for- 
ward, and  stood  in  the  entrance  of  the  gate  of  the  city :  and  the 


140  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

two  companies  rushed  upon  all  that  were  in  the  field,  and  smote 
them.  And  Abimelech  fought  against  the  city  all  that  day; 
and  he  took  the  city,  and  slew  the  people  that  were  therein: 
and  he  beat  down  the  city,  and  sowed  it  \\dth  salt. 

And  when  all  the  men  of  the  towxr  of  Shechem  heard  thereof, 
they  entered  into  the  stronghold  of  the  house  of  Elberith.  And 
it  was  told  Abimelech  that  all  the  men  of  the  tower  of  Shechem 
were  gathered  together.  And  Abimelech  gat  him  up  to  mount 
Zalmon  he  and  all  the  people  that  were  with  him;  and  Abime- 
lech took  an  axe  in  his  hand,  and  cut  down  a  bough  from  the 
trees,  and  took  it  up,  and  laid  it  on  his  shoulder :  and  he  said  unto 
the  people  that  were  with  him,  "  What  ye  have  seen  me  do,  make 
haste,  and  do  as  I  have  done."  And  all  the  people  lilce^dse  cut 
do\\Ti  every  man  his  bough,  and  followed  Abimelech  and  put  them 
to  the  stronghold,  and  set  the  stronghold  on  fire  upon  them;  so 
that  all  the  men  of  the  tower  of  Shechem  died  also,  about  a 
thousand  men  and  women. 

Then  went  Abimelech  to  Thebez,  and  encamped  against 
Thebez,  and  took  it.  But  there  was  a  strong  tower  ^vithin  the 
city,  and  thither  fled  all  the  men  and  women,  and  all  they  of 
the  city,  and  shut  themselves  in,  and  gat  them  up  to  the  roof  of 
the  tower.  And  Abimelech  came  unto  the  tower,  and  fought 
against  it,  and  drew  near  unto  the  door  of  the  tower  to  burn  it 
with  fire.  And  a  certain  woman  cast  an  upper  millstone  upon 
Abimelech's  head,  and  brake  his  skull.  Then  he  called  hastily 
unto  the  j^'oung  man  his  armor-bearer,  and  said  unto  him, 
"  Draw  thy  sword,  and  kill  me,  that  men  say  not  of  me,  A  woman 
slew  him."  And  his  young  man  thrust  him  through,  and  he 
died.  And  when  the  men  of  Israel  saw  that  Abimelech  was  dead, 
they  departed  every  man  unto  his  place.  Thus  God  requited 
the  -wickedness  of  Abimelech,  which  he  did  unto  his  father,  m 
slaying  his  seventy  brethren ;  and  all  the  wickedness  of  the  men 
of  Shechem  did  God  requite  upon  their  heads:  and  upon  them 
came  the  curse  of  Jotham  the  son  of  JeiTibbaal. 


And  after  Abimelech  there  arose  to  save  Israel  Tola  the  son  of 
Puah,  the  son  of  Dodo,  a  man  of  Issachar;  and  he  dwelt 
in   Shamir  in   the   hill  country  of   Ephraim.     And  he  judged 


JUDGES  141 

Israel  twentj'  and  three  years,  and  died,  and  was  buried  in 
Shamir. 

And  after  him  arose  Jair,  the  Gileadite;  and  he  judged  Israel 
twenty  and  two  years.  And  he  had  thirty  sons  that  rode  on 
thirty  ass  colts,  and  thej^  had  thirty  cities,  which  are  called 
IIa\Toth-jair  unto  this  daj^  which  are  in  the  land  of  Gilead. 
And  Jair  died,  and  was  buried  in  Kamon. 


Now  Jephthah  the  Gileadite  was  a  mighty  man  of  valour,  and 
he  was  the  son  of  a  harlot:  and  Gilead  begat  Jephthah.  And 
Gilead's  wife  bare  him  sons;  and  when  his  wife's  sons  grew  up, 
they  drove  out  Jephthah,  and  said  unto  him,  "  Thou  shalt  not 
inherit  in  our  father's  house;  for  thou  art  the  son  of  another 
woman."  Then  Jephthah  fled  from  his  brethren,  and  dwelt  in 
the  land  of  Tol^:  and  there  were  gathered  vain  fellows  to  Jeph- 
thah, and  they  went  out  with  him. 

And  it  came  to  pass  after  a  while,  that  the  children  of  Am- 
nion made  war  against  Israel.  And  it  was  so,  that,  when  the 
children  of  Ammon  made  war  against  Israel,  the  elders  of  Gilead 
went  to  fetch  Jephthah  out  of  the  land  of  Tob;  and  they  said 
imto  Jephthah,  "  Come  and  be  our  chief,  that  we  may  fight  vnth 
the  children  of  Ammon."  And  Jephthah  said  unto  the  elders  of 
Gilead,  ''  Did  not  ye  hate  me,  and  drive  me  out  of  my  father's 
house?  and  why  are  ye  come  unto  me  now  when  ye  are  in  dis- 
tress?" And  the  elders  of  Gilead  said  unto  Jephthah,  "  There- 
fore are  we  turned  again  to  thee  now,  that  thou  mayest  go  w^ith 
us,  and  fight  with  the  children  of  Ammon;  and  thou  shalt  be 
our  head  over  all  the  inhabitants  of  Gilead."  And  Jephthah 
said  unto  the  elders  of  Gilead,  ''  If  ye  bring  me  home  again  to 
fight  with  the  children  of  Ammon,  and  Yahweh  deliver  them 
before  me,  shall  I  be  your  head?  "  And  the  elders  of  Gilead  said 
unto  Jephthah,  ''Yahweh  shall  be  witness  between  us;  surely 
according  to  thy  word  so  will  we  do."  Then  Jephthah  went 
with  the  elders  of  Gilead,  and  the  people  made  him  head  and 
chief  over  them:  and  Jephthah  spake  all  his  words  before 
Yahweh  in  Mizpah. 

And  Jephthah  sent  messengers  unto  the  king  of  the  children  of 
Ammon,  saj'-ing,  "  What  hast  thou  to  do  with  me,  that  thou 


142  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

art  come  unto  me  to  fight  against  my  land?  "  And  the  king  of 
the  children  of  Ammon  answered  unto  tlie  messengers  of  Jeph- 
thah,  ''  Because  Israel  took  away  my  land,  when  he  came  up  out 
of  Eg3^pt,  from  the  Anion  even  unto  the  Jabbok,  and  unto  the 
Jordan:  now,  therefore,  restore  those  lands  again  peaceably." 
And  Jephthah  sent  messengers  again  unto  the  king  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Ammon;  and  he  said  unto  him,  "  Thus  saith  Jephthah: 
Israel  took  not  away  the  land  of  Moab,  nor  the  land  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Ammon;  but  when  they  came  up  from  Egypt,  and 
Israel  went  through  the  wilderness  unto  the  Red  Sea,  and  came 
to  Kadesh;  then  Israel  sent  messengers  unto  the  king  of  Edom, 
saying,  "  Let  me,  I  pray  thee,  pass  through  thy  land;  but  the 
king  of  Edom  hearkened  not.  And  in  like  manner  he  sent  unto 
tlie  king  of  Moab;  but  he  would  not:  and  Israel  abode  in 
Kadesh.  Then  they  went  through  the  wilderness,  and  went 
around  the  land  of  Edom,  and  the  land  of  Moab,  and  came  by 
the  east  side  of  the  land  of  Moab,  and  they  encamped  on  the 
other  side  of  the  Arnon ;  but  the}'  came  not  within  the  border  of 
Moab,  for  the  Arnon  was  the  border  of  Moab.  And  Israel  sent 
messengers  unto  Sihon  king  of  the  Amorites,  the  king  of  Heshbon; 
and  Israel  said  unto  him,  ''  Let  us  pass,  we  pray  thee,  through 
thy  land  unto  my  place.  But  Sihon  trusted  not  Israel  to  pass 
through  his  border;  but  Sihon  gathered  all  his  people  together, 
and  encamped  in  Jahaz,  and  fought  against  Israel.  And  Yah- 
weh,  the  God  of  Israel,  delivered  Sihon  and  all  his  people  into 
the  hand  of  Israel,  and  they  smote  them:  so  Israel  possessed 
all  the  land  of  the  Amorites,  the  inhabitants  of  that  country. 
And  they  possessed  all  the  border  of  the  Amorites,  from  the 
Ai'non  even  unto  the  Jabbok,  and  from  the  wilderness  even  unto 
the  Jordan.  So  now  Yahweh,  the  God  of  Israel,  hath  dispos- 
sessed the  Amorites  from  before  his  people  Israel,  and  shouldest 
thou  possess  them?  Wilt  not  thou  possess  that  which  Chemosh 
thy  god  giveth  thee  to  possess?  So  whomsoever  Yahweh  our 
God  hath  dispossessed  from  before  us,  them  will  we  possess. 
And  now  art  thou  any  thing  better  than  Balak  the  son  of  Zippor, 
king  of  Moab?  did  he  ever  strive  against  Israel,  or  did  he  ever 
fight  against  them?  While  Israel  dwelt  in  Heshbon  and  its 
towns,  and  in  Ai'oer  and  its  towns,  and  in  all  the  cities  that  are 
along  by  the  side  of  the  Arnon,  three  hundred  years;  wherefore 


JUDGES  143 

did  ye  not  recover  them  withiu  that  time?  I  therefore,  have  not 
sinned  against  thee,  but  thou  doest  me  wrong  to  war  against 
me:  Yahweh,  the  Judge,  be  judge  this  day  between  the  children 
of  Israel  and  the  children  of  Amnion.  Howbeit  the  king  of  the 
children  of  Ammon  hearkened  not  unto  the  words  of  Jephthah 
which  he  sent  him." 

Tlien  the  Spirit  of  Yahweh  came  upon  Jephthah,  and  he  passed 
over  Gilead  and  Manasseh,  and  passed  over  Mizpeh  of  Gilead, 
and  from  Mizpeh  of  Gilead  he  passed  over  unto  the  children  of 
Ammon.  And  Jephthah  vowed  a  vow  unto  Yahweh,  and  said, 
"  If  thou  wilt  indeed  deliver  the  children  of  Ammon  into  my 
hand,  then  it  shall  be,  that  whatsoever  cometh  forth  from  the 
doors  of  my  house  to  meet  me,  when  I  return  in  peace  from  the 
children  of  Ammon,  it  shall  be  Yahweh's,  and  I  will  offer  it  up 
for  a  burnt-offering."  So  Jephthah  passed  over  unto  the  chil- 
dren of  Ammon  to  fight  against  them;  and  Yahweh  delivered 
them  into  his  hand.  And  he  smote  them  from  Aroer  until  thou 
come  to  Minnith,  even  twenty  cities,  and  unto  Abelcheramim, 
with  a  very  great  slaughter.  So  the  children  of  Ammon  were 
subdued  before  the  children  of  Israel. 

And  Jephthah  came  to  Mizpah  unto  his  house:  and,  behold, 
his  daughter  came  out  to  meet  him  with  timbrels  and  with 
dances:  and  she  was  his  only  child;  besides  her  he  had  neither 
son  nor  daughter.  And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  saw  her,  that 
he  rent  his  clothes,  and  said,  "  Alas,  my  daughter!  thou  hast 
brought  me  very  low,  and  thou  art  one  of  them  that  trouble  me; 
for  I  have  opened  my  mouth  unto  Yahweh,  and  I  cannot  go 
back."  And  she  said  unto  him,  "  My  father,  thou  hast  opened 
thy  mouth  unto  Yahweh;  do  unto  me  according  to  that  which 
hath  proceeded  out  of  thj^  mouth,  forasmuch  as  Yahweh  hath 
taken  vengeance  for  thee  on  thine  enemies,  even  on  the 
children  of  Ammon."  And  she  said  unto  her  father,  "  Let  this 
thing  be  done  for  me :  let  me  alone  two  months,  that  I  may  de- 
part and  go  down  upon  the  mountains,  and  bewail  my  virginity, 
I  and  my  companions.  And  he  said,  ''Go."  And  he  sent  her 
away  for  two  months:  and  she  departed,  she  and  her  com- 
panions, and  bewailed  her  virginity  upon  the  mountains.  And 
it  came  to  pass  at  the  end  of  two  months,  that  she  returned  unto 
her  father,  who  did  with  her  according  to  his  vow  which  he  had 


144  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEIi 

vowed:  and  she  knew  not  man.  And  it  was  a  custom  in  Israel, 
that  the  daughters  of  Israel  went  yearly  to  celebrate  the  daughter 
of  Jephthah  the  Gileadite  four  days  in  a  year. 


And  the  men  of  Ephraim  were  gathered  together,  and  passed 
northward;  and  they  said  unto  Jephthah,  "  Wherefore  passedst 
thou  over  to  fight  against  the  children  of  Ammon,  and  didst  not 
call  us  to  go  with  thee?  we  will  burn  thy  house  upon  thee  with 
fire."  And  Jephthah  said  unto  them,  "  I  and  my  people  were 
at  great  strife  with  the  children  of  Ammon;  and  when  I  called 
you,  ye  saved  me  not  out  of  their  hand.  And  when  I  saw  that 
ye  saved  me  not,  I  put  my  life  in  my  hand,  and  passed  over 
against  the  children  of  Ammon,  and  Yahweh  delivered  them 
into  my  hand :  wherefore  then  are  ye  come  up  unto  me  this  day, 
to  fight  against  me?  "  Then  Jephthah  gathered  together  all 
the  men  of  Gilead,  and  fought  with  Ephraim;  and  the  men  of 
Gilead  smote  Ephraim,  because  they  said,  "  Ye  are  fugitives  of 
Ephraim,  ye  Gileadites,  in  the  midst  of  Ephraim,  and  in  the  midst 
of  Manasseh."  And  the  Gileadites  took  the  fords  of  the  Jordan 
against  the  Ephraimites.  And  it  was  so,  that,  when  any  of  the 
fugitives  of  Ephraim  said,  ''  Let  me  go  over,  the  men  of  Gilead 
said  unto  him,  "  Art  thou  an  Ephraimite?  "  If  he  said,  "  Nay," 
then  said  they  unto  him,  "  Say  now  Shibboleth  ";  and  he  said, 
"Sibboleth";  for  he  could  not  frame  to  pronounce  it  right: 
then  they  laid  hold  on  him,  and  slew  him  at  the  fords  of  the 
Jordan.  And  there  fell  at  that  time  of  Ephraim  forty  and  two 
thousand. 

And  Jephthah  judged  Israel  six  years.  Then  died  Jephthah 
the  Gileadite,  and  was  buried  in  one  of  the  cities  of  Gilead. 

And  after  him  Ibzan  of  Bethlehem  judged  Israel.  And  he 
had  thirty  sons;  and  thirty  daughters  he  sent  abroad,  and  thirty 
daughters  he  brought  in  from  abroad  for  his  sons.  And  he  judged 
Israel  seven  years.  And  Ibzan  died,  and  was  buried  at  Beth- 
lehem. 

And  after  him  Elon  the  Zebulunite  judged  Israel;  and  he 
judged  Israel  ten  years.  And  Elon  the  Zebulunite  died,  and  was 
buried  in  Aijalon  in  the  land  of  Zebulun. 

And  after  him  Abdon  the  son  of  Hillel  the  Pirathonite  judged 


JUDGES  145 

Israel.  And  he  had  forty  sons  and  thh-ty  sons'  sons,  that  rode 
on  threescore  and  ten  ass  colts:  and  he  judged  Israel  eight  years. 
And  Abdon  the  son  of  Hillel  the  Pirathonite  died,  and  was 
buried  in  Pirathon  in  the  land  of  Ephraim,  in  the  hill  country  of 
the  Amalekites. 


And  there  was  a  certain  man  of  Zorah,  of  the  family  of  the 
Danites,  whose  name  was  Manoah;  and  his  wife  was  barren, 
and  bare  not.  And  the  angel  of  Yahweh  appeared  unto  the 
woman,  and  said  unto  her,  "  Behold  now,  thou  art  barren,  and 
bearest  not;  but  thou  shalt  conceive,  and  bear  a  son.  Now 
therefore,  beware,  I  pray  thee,  and  drink  no  wine  nor  strong 
drink,  and  eat  not  any  unclean  thing:  for,  lo,  thou  shalt  conceive, 
and  bear  a  son;  and  no  razor  shall  come  upon  his  head;  for  the 
child  shall  be  a  Nazirite  unto  God  from  the  womb :  and  he  shall 
begin  to  save  Israel  out  of  the  hand  of  the  Philistines."  Then 
the  woman  came  and  told  her  husband,  saying,  "  A  man  of  God 
came  unto  me,  and  his  countenance  was  like  the  countenance  of 
the  angel  of  God,  very  terrible;  and  I  asked  him  not  whence  he 
was,  neither  told  he  me  his  name:  but  he  said  unto  me,  Behold, 
thou  shalt  conceive,  and  bear  a  son;  and  now  drink  no  wine  nor 
strong  drink,  and  eat  not  any  unclean  thing;  for  the  child  shall 
be  a  Nazirite  unto  God  from  the  womb  to  the  day  of  his  death." 

Then  Manoah  entreated  Yahweh,  and  said,  "  Oh,  Lord,  I  pray 
thee,  let  the  man  of  God  whom  thou  didst  send  come  again  unto 
us,  and  teach  us  what  we  shall  do  unto  the  child  that  shall  be 
born."  And  God  hearkened  to  the  voice  of  Manoah;  and  the 
angel  of  God  came  again  unto  the  woman  as  she  sat  in  the  field : 
but  Manoah  her  husband  was  not  with  her.  And  the  woman 
made  haste,  and  ran,  and  told  her  husband,  and  said  unto  him, 
"  Behold,  the  man  hath  appeared  unto  me,  that  came  unto  me 
the  other  day."  And  Manoah  arose,  and  went  after  his  wife, 
and  came  to  the  man,  and  said  unto  him,  "  Art  thou  the  man  that 
spakest  unto  the  woman?  "  And  he  said,  "  I  am."  And  Ma- 
noah said,  "  Now  let  thy  words  come  to  pass:  what  shall  be  the 
ordering  of  the  child,  and  hoio  shall  we  do  unto  him?  "  And  the 
angel  of  Yahweh  said  unto  Manoah,  "  Of  all  that  I  said  unto  the 
woman  let  her  beware.    She  may  not  eat  of  any  thing  that 


146  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

Cometh  of  the  vine,  neither  let  her  drink  wine  or  strong  drink, 
nor  eat  any  unclean  thing;  all  that  I  commanded  her  let  her 
observe." 

And  Manoah  said  unto  the  angel  of  Yahweh,  "  I  pray  thee,  let 
us  detain  thee,  that  we  may  make  ready  a  kid  for  thee."  And 
the  angel  of  Yahweh  said  unto  Manoah,  "  Though  thou  detain 
me,  I  \vill  not  eat  of  thy  bread;  and  if  thou  wilt  make  ready  a 
burnt-offering,  thou  must  ofier  it  unto  Yahweh."  For  Manoah 
knew  not  that  he  was  the  angel  of  Yahweh.  And  Manoah  said 
unto  the  angel  of  Yahweh,  "  What  is  thy  name,  that,  wlien  thy 
words  come  to  pass,  we  may  do  thee  honor?  "  And  the  angel  of 
Yahweh  said  unto  him,  "  Wherefore  askest  thou  after  my  name, 
seeing  it  is  wonderful?  "  So  Manoah  took  the  kid  wdth  the  meal- 
offering,  and  offered  it  upon  the  rock  unto  Yahw^eh:  and  the 
angel  did  wondrously;  and  Manoah  and  his  wife  looked  on. 
For  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  flame  went  up  toward  heaven  from 
off  the  altar,  that  the  angel  of  Yahweh  ascended  in  the  flame  of 
the  altar:  and  Manoah  and  his  wife  looked  on;  and  they  fell  on 
their  faces  to  the  ground. 

But  the  angel  of  Yahweh  did  no  more  appear  to  Manoah  or 
to  his  w^ife.  Then  Manoah  knew  that  he  was  the  angel  of 
Yahweh.  And  Manoah  said  unto  his  wife,  ''  We  shall  surely  die, 
because  we  have  seen  God."  But  his  wife  said  unto  him,  "  If 
Yahweh  were  pleased  to  kill  us,  he  would  not  have  received  a 
burnt-offering  and  a  meal-oifering  at  our  hand,  neither  would  he 
have  showed  us  all  these  things,  nor  would  at  this  time  have  told 
such  things  as  these."  And  the  woman  bare  a  son,  and  called 
his  name  Samson:  and  the  child  grew,  and  Yahweh  blessed  him. 
And  the  Spirit  of  Yahweh  began  to  move  him  in  Mahanehdan, 
between  Zorah  and  Eshtaol. 


And  Samson  went  down  to  Timnah,  and  saw  a  woman  in 
Timnah  of  the  daughter  of  the  Philistines.  And  he  came  up, 
and  told  his  father  and  his  mother,  and  said,  "  I  have  seen  a 
woman  in  Timnah  of  the  daughters  of  the  Philistines:  now, 
therefore,  get  her  for  me  to  wife."  Then  his  father  and  his 
mother  said  unto  him,  "  Is  there  never  a  woman  among  the 
daughters  of  thy  brethren,  or  among  all  my  people,  that  thou 


JUDGES  147 

goest  to  take  a  wife  of  the  uiicircimicised  Philistines?  "  And 
Samson  said  unto  his  father,  "  Get  her  for  me;  for  she  pleaseth 
me  well."  But  his  father  and  his  mother  knew  not  that  it  was 
of  Yahweh;  for  he  sought  an  occasion  against  the  Philistines. 
Now  at  that  time  the  Philistines  had  rule  over  Israel. 

Then  went  Samson  down,  and  his  father  and  his  mother,  to 
Timnah,  and  came  to  the  \dneyards  of  Timnah:  and,  behold,  a 
young  lion  roared  against  him.  And  the  Spirit  of  Yahweh  came 
mightily  upon  him,  and  he  rent  him  as  he  would  have  rent  a 
kid;  and  he  had  nothing  in  his  hand:  but  he  told  not  his  father 
or  his  mother  what  he  had  done.  And  he  went  down,  and  talked 
with  the  woman;  and  she  pleased  Samson  w^ell.  And  after  a 
while  he  returned  to  take  her;  and  he  turned  aside  to  see  the 
carcass  of  the  lion:  and,  behold,  there  was  a  swarm  of  bees  in 
the  body  of  the  lion,  and  honey.  And  he  took  it  into  his  hands, 
and  went  on,  eating  as  he  went;  and  he  came  to  his  father 
and  mother,  and  gave  unto  them,  and  they  did  eat :  but  he  told 
them  not  that  he  had  taken  the  honey  out  of  the  body  of  the 
lion. 

And  his  father  went  down  unto  the  woman:  and  Samson 
made  there  a  feast;  for  so  used  the  young  men  to  do.  And  it 
came  to  pass,  when  they  saw  him,  that  they  brought  thirty 
companions  to  be  with  him.  And  Samson  said  unto  them,  "  Let 
me  now  put  forth  a  riddle  unto  j^ou:  if  ye  can  declare  it  unto  me 
A\dthin  the  seven  days  of  the  feast,  and  find  it  out,  then  I  will 
give  you  thirty  linen  garments  and  thirty  changes  of  raiment; 
but  if  ye  cannot  declare  it  unto  me,  then  shall  ye  give  me  thirty 
linen  garments  and  thirty  changes  of  raiment.  And  they  said 
unto  him,  "  Put  forth  thy  riddle,  that  we  may  hear  it."  And  he 
said  unto  them, 

"  Out  of  the  eater  came  forth  food. 
And  out  of  the  strong  came  forth  sweetness." 

And  they  could  not  in  three  days  declare  the  riddle. 

And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  seventh  day,  that  they  said  unto 
Samson's  wife,  ''  Entice  thy  husband,  that  he  may  declare  unto 
us  the  riddle,  lest  we  burn  thee  and  thy  father's  house  vnih.  fire : 
have  ye  called  us  to  impoverish  us?  is  it  not  so?  "  And  Sam- 
son's wife  wept  before  him,  and  said,  ''  Thou  dost  but  hate  me, 


148  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

and  lovest  me  not :  thou  hast  put  forth  a  riddle  unto  the  children 
of  my  people,  and  hast  not  told  it  me."  And  he  said  unto  her, 
"  Behold,  I  have  not  told  it  my  father  nor  my  mother,  and  shall  I 
tell  thee?  "  And  she  wept  before  him  the  seven  days,  while  their 
feast  lasted :  and  it  came  to  pass  on  the  seventh  day,  that  he  told 
her,  because  she  pressed  him  sore;  and  she  told  the  riddle  to  the 
children  of  her  people.  And  the  men  of  the  city  said  unto  him 
on  the  seventh  day  before  the  sun  went  down,  "  What  is  sweeter 
than  honey?  and  what  is  stronger  than  a  lion?  "  And  he  said 
unto  them, 

'*  If  ye  had  not  plowed  with  my  heifer, 
Ye  had  not  found  out  my  riddle." 

And  the  Spirit  of  Yahweh  came  mightily  upon  him,  and  he  went 
down  to  Ashkelon,  and  smote  thirty  men  of  them,  and  took  their 
spoil,  and  gave  the  changes  of  raiment  unto  them  that  declared 
the  riddle.  And  his  anger  was  kindled,  and  he  went  up  to  his 
father's  house.  But  Samson's  wiie  was  given  to  his  companion, 
whom  he  had  used  as  his  friend. 


But  it  came  to  pass  after  a  while,  in  the  time  of  wheat  harvest, 
that  Samson  visited  his  wife  with  a  kid ;  and  he  said,  I  will  go  in  to 
my  wife  into  the  chamber."  But  her  father  would  not  suffer  him 
to  go  in.  And  her  father  said,  ''  I  verily  thought  that  thou 
hadst  utterly  hated  her;  therefore,  I  gave  her  to  thy  com- 
panion: is  not  her  j'-ounger  sister  fairer  than  she?  take  her,  I 
pray  thee,  instead  of  her."  And  Samson  said  unto  them, 
"  This  time  shall  I  be  blameless  in  regard  of  the  Philistines, 
when  I  do  them  a  mischief."  And  Samson  went  and  caught 
three  hundred  foxes,  and  took  firebrands,  and  turned  tail  to  tail, 
and  put  a  firebrand  in  the  midst  between  every  two  tails.  And 
when  he  had  set  the  brands  on  fire,  he  let  them  go  into  the  stand- 
ing grain  of  the  Philistines,  and  burnt  up  both  the  shocks  and 
the  standing  grain,  and  also  the  oliveyards.  Then  the  Philis- 
tines said,  "  Who  hath  done  this?  "  And  they  said,  "  Samson, 
the  son-in-law  of  the  Timnite,  because  he  hath  taken  his  wile, 
and  given  her  to  his  companion."    And  the  Philistines  came  up, 


JUDGES  149 

and  burnt  her  and  her  father  with  fire.  And  Samson  said  unto 
them,  "If  ye  do  after  this  manner,  surely  I  will  be  avenged  of 
you,  and  after  that  I  will  cease."  And  he  smote  them  hip  and 
thigh  with  a  great  slaughter:  and  he  went  down  and  dwelt  in  the 
cleft  of  the  rock  of  Etam. 

Then  the  Philistines  went  up,  and  encamped  in  Judah,  and 
spread  themselves  in  Lehi.  And  the  men  of  Judah  said,  "  Why 
are  ye  come  up  against  us?  "  And  they  said,  "  To  bind  Samson 
are  we  come  up,  to  do  to  him  as  he  hath  done  to  us."  Then 
three  thousand  men  of  Judah  went  down  to  the  cleft  of  the  rock 
of  Etam,  and  said  to  Samson,  "  Knowest  thou  not  that  the 
Philistines  are  rulers  over  us?  what  then  is  this  that  thou  hast 
done  unto  us?  "  And  he  said  unto  them,  "  As  they  did  unto  me, 
so  have  I  done  unto  them."  And  they  said  unto  him,  "  We  are 
come  down  to  bind  thee,  that  we  may  deliver  thee  into  the  hand 
of  the  Phihstines."  And  Samson  said  unto  them,  "  Swear  unto 
me,  that  ye  will  not  fall  upon  me  yourselves."  And  they  spake 
unto  him,  saying,  "  No;  but  we  will  bind  thee  fast,  and  deliver 
thee  into  their  hand:  but  surely  we  will  not  kill  thee."  And 
they  bound  him  with  two  new  ropes,  and  brought  him  up  from 
the  rock. 

When  he  came  unto  Lehi,  the  Philistines  shouted  as  they 
met  him:  and  the  Spirit  of  Yahweh  came  mightily  upon  him, 
and  the  ropes  that  were  upon  his  arms  became  as  flax  that  was 
burnt  with  fire,  and  his  bands  dropped  from  off  his  hands. 
And  he  found  a  fresh  jawbone  of  an  ass,  and  put  forth  his  hand, 
and  took  it,  and  smote  a  thousand  men  therewith.  And  Sam- 
son said, 

"  With  the  jawbone  of  an  ass,  heaps  upon  heaps, 
With  the  jawbone  of  an  ass  have  I  smitten  a  thousand  men." 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  had  made  an  end  of  speaking,  that 
he  cast  away  the  jawbone  out  of  his  hand;  and  that  place  was 
called  Ramath-lehi.  And  he  was  sore  athirst,  and  called  on 
Yahweh,  and  said,  "  Thou  hast  given  this  great  deliverance  by 
the  hand  of  thy  servant;  and  now  shall  I  die  for  thirst,  and  fall 
into  the  hand  of  the  uncircumcised."  But  God  clave  the  hollow 
place  that  is  in  Lehi,  and  there  came  water  thereout;  and  when 
he  had  dmnk,  his  spirit  came  again,  and  he  revived:  wherefore 


150  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

the  name  thereof  was  called  En-hakkore,  which  is  in  Lehi, 
unto  this  day. 


And  Samson  went  to  Gaza,  and  saw  there  a  harlot,  and  went 
in  unto  her.  And  it  ivas  told  the  Gazites,  saying,  "  Samson  is 
come  hither."  And  tlic}^  compassed  him  in,  and  laid  wait  for 
him  all  night  in  the  gate  of  the  cit}^  and  were  quiet  all  the  night, 
saying,  "Let  be  till  morning  light,  then  we  will  kill  him."  And 
Samson  lay  till  midnight,  and  arose  at  midnight,  and  laid  hold  of 
the  doors  of  the  gate  of  the  city,  and  the  two  posts,  and  plucked 
them  up,  bar  and  all,  and  put  them  upon  his  shoulders,  and 
carried  them  up  to  the  top  of  the  mountain  that  is  before  Hebron. 

And  it  came  to  pass  afterward,  that  he  loved  a  woman  in  the 
valley  of  Sorek,  whose  name  was  Delilah.  And  the  Lords  of  the 
Philistines  came  up  unto  her,  and  said  unto  her,  "  Entice  him, 
and  see  wherein  his  great  strength  lieth,  and  by  what  means  we 
may  prevail  against  him,  that  we  may  bind  him  to  afflict  him: 
and  we  will  give  thee  ever}-  one  of  us  eleven  hundred  pieces  of 
silver."  And  Delilah  said  to  Samson,  "  Tell  me,  I  pray  thee, 
wherein  thy  great  strength  lieth,  and  wherewith  thou  mightest  be 
bound  to  afflict  thee."  And  Samson  said  unto  her,  "  If  they 
bind  me  with  seven  green  v/ithes  that  were  never  dried,  then 
shall  I  become  weak,  and  be  as  another  man."  Then  the  lords 
of  the  Philistines  brought  up  to  her  seven  green  withes  which  had 
not  been  dried,  and  she  bound  him  mth  them.  Now  she  had 
liers-in-wait  abiding  in  the  inner  chamber.  And  she  said  unto 
him,  "  The  Philistines  are  upon  thee,  Samson."  And  he  brake 
the  withes,  as  a  string  of  tow  is  broken  when  it  toucheth  the  fire. 
So  his  strength  was  not  known. 

And  Delilah  said  unto  Samson,  "  Behold,  thou  hast  mocked 
me,  and  told  me  lies:  now  tell  me,  I  pray  thee,  wherewith  thou 
mightest  be  bound."  And  he  said  unto  her,  "  If  they  only  bind 
me  with  new  ropes  v/herewith  no  work  hath  been  done,  then  shall 
I  become  weak,  and  be  as  another  man."  So  Delilah  took  new 
ropes,  and  bound  him  therewith,  and  said  unto  him,  "  The 
PhiUstines  are  upon  thee,  Samson."  And  the  liers-in-wait  were 
abiding  in  the  inner  chamber.  And  he  brake  them  from  off  his 
arms  like  a  thread. 


JUDGES  151 

And  Delilah  said  unto  Samson,  "  Hitlierto  thou  hast  mocked 
me,  and  told  me  lies :  tell  me  wherewth  thou  mightest  be  bound." 
And  he  said  unto  her,  "  If  thou  weavest  the  seven  locks  of  my 
head  with  the  web."  And  she  fastened  it  with  the  pin,  and  said 
unto  him,  "  The  Philistines  are  upon  thee,  Samson."  And  he 
awaked  out  of  his  sleep,  and  plucked  away  the  pin  of  the  beam, 
and  the  web. 

And  she  said  unto  him, ''  How  canst  thou  say,  I  love  thee,  when 
thy  heart  is  not  with  me?  thou  hast  mocked  me  these  three  times, 
and  hast  not  told  me  wherein  thy  great  strength  lieth."  And  it 
came  to  pass,  when  she  pressed  him  daily  wdth  her  words,  and 
urged  him,  that  his  soul  was  vexed  unto  death.  And  he  told 
her  all  his  heart,  and  said  unto  her,  "  There  hath  not  come  a 
razor  upon  my  head ;  for  I  have  been  a  Nazirite  unto  God  from 
my  mother's  womb:  if  I  be  shaven,  then  my  strength  will  go 
from  me,  and  I  shall  become  weak  and  be  like  any  other  man." 

And  when  Delilah  saw  that  he  had  told  her  all  his  heart,  she 
sent  and  called  for  the  lords  of  the  Philistines,  saying,  "  Come  up 
this  once,  for  he  hath  told  me  all  his  heart."  Then  the  lords  of 
the  Philistines  came  up  unto  her,  and  brought  the  money  in 
their  hand.  And  she  made  him  sleep  upon  her  knees;  and  she 
called  for  a  man,  and  shaved  off  the  seven  locks  of  his  head; 
and  she  began  to  afflict  him,  and  his  strength  went  from  him. 
And  she  said,  "  The  PhiHstines  are  upon  thee,  Samson."  And 
he  awoke  out  of  his  sleep,  and  said,  "  I  will  go  out  as  at  other 
times,  and  shake  myself  free."  But  he  knew  not  that  Yahweh 
was  departed  from.  him.  And  the  Philistines  laid  hold  on  him,, 
and  put  out  his  eyes;  and  they  brought  him  down  to  Gaza,  and 
bound  him.  mth  fetters  of  brass;  and  he  did  grind  in  the  prison- 
house.  Howbeit  the  hair  of  his  head  began  to  grow  again  after 
he  was  shaven.  . 

And  the  lords  of  the  Philistines  gathered  them  together  to 
offer  a  great  sacrifice  unto  Dagon  their  god,  and  to  rejoice;  for 
they  said,  "  Our  god  hath  delivered  Samson  our  enemy  into  our 
hand."  And  when  the  people  saw  him,  they  praised  their  god; 
for  they  said,  "  Our  god  hath  delivered  into  our  hand  our  enemy, 
and  the  destroyer  of  our  country,  who  hath  slain  many  of  us." 
And  it  came  to  pass,  when  their  hearts  were  merry,  that  they  said, 
"  Call  for  Samson,  that  he  may  make  us  sport."    And  they  called 


152  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

for  Samson  out  of  the  prison-house;  and  he  made  sport  before 
them.  And  they  set  him  between  the  pillars:  and  Samson  said 
unto  the  lad  that  held  him  by  the  hand,  ''  Suffer  me  that  I  may 
feel  the  pillars  whereupon  the  house  resteth,  that  I  may  lean 
upon  them."  Now  the  house  was  full  of  men  and  women;  and 
aU  the  lords  of  the  Philistines  were  there;  and  there  were  upon 
the  roof  about  three  thousand  men  and  women,  that  beheld  while 
Samson  made  sport. 

And  Samson  called  unto  Yahweh,  and  said,  "  0  Lord  Yahweh, 
remember  me,  I  pray  thee,  and  strengthen  me,  I  pray  thee, 
only  this  once,  0  God,  that  I  may  be  at  once  avenged  of  the 
Philistines  for  my  two  eyes."  And  Samson  took  hold  of  the  two 
middle  pillars  upon  which  the  house  rested,  and  leaned  upon 
them,  the  one  with  his  right  hand,  and  the  other  with  his  left. 
And  Samson  said,  "  Let  me  die  with  the  Philistines."  And  he 
bowed  himself  with  all  his  might;  and  the  house  fell  upon  the 
lords,  and  upon  all  the  people  that  were  therein.  So  the  dead 
that  he  slew  at  his  death  were  more  than  they  that  he  slew  in  his 
life.  Then  his  brethren  and  all  the  house  of  his  father  came 
down,  and  took  him,  and  brought  him  up,  and  buried  him  be- 
tween Zorah  and  Eshtaol  in  the  burying-place  of  Manoah  his 
father. 


And  there  was  a  man  of  the  hill  country  of  Ephraim,  whose 
name  was  Micah.  And  he  said  unto  his  mother,  "  The  eleven 
hundred  pieces  of  silver  that  were  taken  from  thee,  about  which 
thou  didst  utter  a  curse,  and  didst  also  speak  it  in  mine  ears, 
behold,  the  silver  is  with  me;  I  took  it."  And  his  mother  said, 
"  Blessed  be  my  son  of  Yahweh."  And  he  restored  the  eleven 
hundred  pieces  of  silver  to  his  mother;  and  his  mother  said, 
*'  I  verily  dedicate  the  silver  unto  Yahweh  from  my  hand  for 
my  son,  to  make  a  gi'aven  image  and  a  molten  image :  now  there- 
fore, I  will  restore  it  unto  thee."  And  when  he  restored  the 
money  unto  his  mother,  his  mother  took  two  hundred  pieces 
of  silver,  and  gave  them  to  the  founder,  who  made  thereof  a 
gi'aven  image  and  a  molten  image:  and  it  was  in  the  house  of 
Micah.  And  the  man  Micah  had  a  house  of  gods,  and  he  made 
an  ephod,  and  teraphim,  and  consecrated  one  of  his  sons,  who 


JUDGES  153 

became  his  priest.    In  those  days  there  was  no  king  in  Israel: 
every  man  did  that  which  was  right  in  his  own  eyes. 

And  there  was  a  young  man  out  of  Beth-lehem-judah,  of  the 
family  of  Judah,  who  was  a  Levite;  and  he  sojourned  there. 
And  the  man  departed  out  of  the  city,  out  of  Beth-lehem-judah, 
to  sojourn  where  he  could  find  a  place;  and  he  came  to  the  hill 
country  of  Ephraim  to  the  house  of  Micah,  as  he  journeyed. 
And  Micah  said  unto  him,  "  Whence  comest  thou?  "  And  he 
said  unto  him,  ''  I  am  a  Levite  of  Beth-lehem-judah,  and  I  go 
to  sojourn  where  I  may  find  a  place."  And  Micah  said  unto  him, 
"  Dwell  with  me,  and  be  unto  me  a  father  and  a  priest,  and  I  will 
give  thee  ten  pieces  of  silver  by  the  year,  and  a  suit  of  apparel, 
and  thy  victuals."  So  the  Levite  went  in.  And  the  Levite 
was  content  to  dwell  with  the  man ;  and  the  young  man  was  unto 
him  as  one  of  his  sons.  And  Micah  consecrated  the  Levite,  and 
the  young  man  became  his  priest,  and  was  in  the  house  of  Micah. 
Then  said  Micah,  "  Now  know  I  that  Yahweh  will  do  me  good, 
seeing  I  have  a  Levite  to  my  priest." 


In  those  days  there  was  no  king  in  Israel:  and  in  those  days 
the  tribe  of  the  Danites  sought  them  an  inheritance  to  dwell  in; 
for  unto  that  day  their  inheritance  had  not  fallen  unto  them 
among  the  tribes  of  Israel.  And  the  children  of  Dan  sent  of 
their  family  five  men  from  their  whole  number,  men  of  valour, 
from  Zorah,  and  from  Eshtaol,  to  spy  out  the  land,  and  to  search 
it;  and  they  said  unto  them,  "  Go,  search  the  land:  and  they 
came  to  the  hill  country  of  Ephraim,  unto  the  house  of  Micah, 
and  lodged  there.  When  they  were  by  the  house  of  Micah, 
they  knew  the  voice  of  the  young  man  the  Levite;  and  they 
turned  aside  thither,  and  said  unto  him,  "  Who  brought  thee 
hither?  and  what  doest  thou  in  this  place?  and  what  hast  thou 
here?  "  And  he  said  unto  them,  "  Thus  and  thus  hath  Micah 
dealt  with  me,  and  he  hath  hired  me,  and  I  am  become  his  priest." 
And  they  said  unto  him,  "  Ask  counsel,  we  pray  thee,  of  God,  that 
we  may  know  whether  our  way  which  we  go  shall  be  prosperous." 
And  the  priest  said  unto  them,  "Go  in  peace:  before  Yahweh 
is  your  way  wherein  ye  go." 

Then  the  five  men  departed,  and  came  to  Laish,  and  saw  the 


154  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

people  that  were  therein,  how  they  dwelt  in  security,  after  the 
manner  of  the  Sidonians,  quiet  and  secure;  for  there  was  none 
in  the  land,  possessing  authority,  that  might  put  them  to  shame 
in  any  thing,  and  they  were  far  from  the  Sidonians,  and  had  no 
dealings  with  any  man.  And  thej^  came  unto  their  brethren  to 
Zorah  an.d  Eshtaol:  and  their  brethren  said  unto  them,  ''  What 
say  ye?  "  And  they  said,  "  Arise,  and  let  us  go  up  against  them; 
for  we  have  seen  the  land,  and,  behold,  it  is  very  good:  and  are 
ye  still?  be  not  slothful  to  go  and  to  enter  in  to  possess  the  land. 
When  ye  go,  ye  shall  come  unto  a  people  secure,  and  the  land  is 
large;  for  God  hath  given  it  into  your  hand,  a  place  where  there 
is  no  want  of  any  thing  that  is  in  the  earth." 

And  there  set  forth  from  thence  of  the  family  of  the  Danites, 
out  of  Zorah  and  out  of  Eshtaol,  six  hundred  men  girt  with 
weapons  of  war.  And  they  went  up,  and  encamped  in  Kiriath- 
jearim,  in  Judah:  wherefore  they  called  that  place  Mahaneh- 
dan,  unto  this  day;  behold,  it  is  behind  Kiriath-jearim.  And 
the}^  passed  thence  unto  the  hill  country  of  Ephraim,  and  came 
unto  the  house  of  Micah. 

Then  answered  the  five  men  that  went  to  spy  out  the  countr}^ 
of  Laish,  and  said  unto  their  brethren,  "  Do  ye  know  that  there 
is  in  these  houses  an  cphod,  and  teraphim,  and  a  graven  image, 
and  a  molten  image?  now  therefore  consider  what  ye  have  to 
do."  And  tlie}'  turned  aside  thither,  and  came  to  the  house  of 
the  young  man,  the  Levite,  even  unto  the  house  of  Micah,  and 
asked  him  of  his  welfare.  And  the  six  hundred  men  girt  with 
their  weapons  of  war,  who  were  of  the  children  of  Dan,  stood  by 
the  entrance  of  the  gate.  And  the  five  men  that  went  to  spy 
out  the  land  went  up,  and  came  in  thither,  and  took  the  graven 
image,  and  the  ephod,  and  the  teraphim,  and  the  molten  image: 
and  the  priest  stood  by  the  entrance  of  the  gate  with  the  six 
hundred  men  girt  with  weapons  of  war.  And  when  these  went 
into  Micah's  house,  and  fetched  the  graven  image,  the  ephod, 
and  the  teraphim,  and  the  molten  image,  the  priest  said  unto 
them,  "  What  do  ye?  "  And  they  said  unto  him,  "  Hold  thy 
peace,  lay  thy  hand  upon  thy  mouth,  and  go  with  us,  and  be  to 
us  a  father  and  a  priest :  is  it  better  for  thee  to  be  priest  unto  the 
house  of  one  man,  or  to  be  priest  imto  a  tribe  and  a  family  in 
Israel?  "    And  the  priest's  heart  was  glad,  and  he  took  the 


JUDGES  155 

ephod,  and  the  teraphim,  and  the  graven  image,  and  went  in  the 
midst  of  the  people. 

So  they  turned  and  departed,  and  put  the  Httle  ones  and  the 
cattle  and  the  goods  before  them.  When  they  were  a  good  way 
from  the  house  of  Micah,  the  men  that  were  in  the  houses  near  to 
Micah's  house  were  gathered  together,  and  overtook  the  children 
of  Dan.  And  they  cried  unto  the  children  of  Dan.  And  they 
turned  their  faces,  and  said  unto  Micah,  "  What  aileth  thee,  that 
thou  comest  with  such  a  company?  "  And  he  said,  "  Ye  have 
taken  away  my  gods  which  I  made,  and  the  priest,  and  are  gone 
away,  and  what  have  I  more?  and  how  then  say  ye  unto  me, 
'  What  aileth  thee?  '  "  And  the  children  of  Dan  said  unto  him, 
"  Let  not  thy  voice  be  heard  among  us,  lest  angry  fellows  fall 
upon  you,  and  thou  lose  thy  life,  with  the  lives  of  thy  household." 
And  the  children  of  Dan  went  their  way:  and  when  Micah  saw 
that  they  were  too  strong  for  him,  he  turned  and  went  back  unto 
his  house. 

And  they  took  that  which  Micah  had  made,  and  the  priest 
whom  he  had,  and  came  unto  Laish,  unto  a  people  quiet  and 
secure,  and  smote  them  with  the  edge  of  the  sword;  and  they 
burnt  the  city  with  fire.  And  there  was  no  deliverer,  because  it 
was  far  from  Sidon,  and  they  had  no  dealings  with  any  man; 
and  it  was  in  the  valley  that  Heth  by  Beth-rehob.  And  they 
built  the  city,  and  dwelt  therein.  And  they  called  the  name  of 
the  city  Dan,  after  the  name  of  Dan  their  father,  who  was  born 
unto  Israel:  howbeit  the  name  of  the  city  was  Laish  at  the  first. 
And  the  children  of  Dan  set  up  for  themselves  the  graven  image ; 
and  Jonathan,  the  son  of  Gershom,  the  son  of  Moses,  he  and  his 
sons  were  priests  to  the  tribe  of  the  Danites  until  the  day  of  the 
captivity  of  the  land.  So  they  set  them  up  Micah's  graven 
image  which  he  made,  all  the  time  that  the  house  of  God  was  in 
Shiloh. 


And  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days,  when  there  was  no  king  in 
Israel,  that  there  was  a  certain  Levite  sojourning  on  the  farther 
side  of  the  hill  country  of  Ephraim,  who  took  to  him  a  concubine 
out  of  Beth-lehem-judah.  And  his  concubine  played  the  harlot 
against  him,  and  went  away  from  him  unto  her  father's  house  to 


156  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

Beth-lehem-judah,  and  was  there  the  space  of  four  months.  And 
her  husband  arose,  and  went  after  her,  to  speak  kindly  unto  her, 
to  bring  her  again,  having  his  servant  with  him,  and  a  couple  of 
asses:  and  she  brought  him  into  her  father's  house;  and  when 
the  father  of  the  damsel  saw  him,  he  rejoiced  to  meet  him.  And 
his  father-in-law,  the  damsel's  father,  retained  him;  and  he 
abode  with  him  three  days:  so  they  did  eat  and  drink,  and  lodged 
there.  And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  fourth  day,  that  they  arose 
early  in  the  morning,  and  he  rose  up  to  depart :  and  the  damsel's 
father  said  unto  his  son-in-law,  "  Strengthen  thy  heart  with  a 
morsel  of  bread,  and  afterward  ye  shall  go  your  way."  So  they 
sat  down,  and  did  eat  and  drink,  both  of  them  together :  and  the 
damsel's  father  said  unto  the  man,  ''  Be  pleased,  I  pray  thee,  to 
tarry  all  night,  and  let  thy  heart  be  merry."  And  the  man  rose 
up  to  depart;  but  his  father-in-law  urged  him,  and  he  lodged 
there  again.  And  he  arose  early  in  the  morning  on  the  fifth  day 
to  depart;  and  the  damsel's  fatlier  said,  "  Strengthen  thy  heart,  I 
pray  thee,  and  tarry  ye  until  the  day  dcclineth  ";  and  they  did 
eat,  both  of  tliem.  And  when  the  man  rose  up  to  depart,  he, 
and  his  concubine,  and  his  servant,  his  father-in-law,  the 
damsel's  father,  said  unto  him,  "  Behold,  now  the  day  draweth 
toward  evening,  I  pray  you  tarry  all  night:  behold,  the  day 
groweth  to  an  end,  lodge  here,  that  thy  heart  may  be  merry; 
and  to-morrow  get  you  early  on  your  way,  that  thou  mayest  go 
home." 

But  the  man  would  not  tarry  that  night,  but  he  rose  up  and 
departed,  and  came  over  agamst  Jebus  (the  same  is  Jerusalem) 
and  there  were  with  him  a  couple  of  asses  saddled ;  his  concubine 
also  was  mth  him.  When  they  were  by  Jebus,  the  day  was  far 
spent;  and  the  servant  said  unto  his  master,  "  Come,  I  pray 
thee,  and  let  us  turn  aside  into  this  city  of  the  Jebusites,  and 
lodge  in  it."  And  his  master  said  unto  him,  "  We  will  not  turn 
aside  into  the  city  of  a  foreigner,  that  is  not  of  the  children  of 
Israel;  but  we  will  pass  over  to  Gibeah."  And  he  said  unto  his 
servant,  "  Come  and  let  us  draw  near  to  one  of  these  places;  and 
we  will  lodge  in  Gibeah,  or  in  Ramah."  So  they  passed  on  and 
went  their  way;  and  the  sun  went  down  upon  them  near  to 
Gibeah,  Avhich  bclongeth  to  Benjamin.  And  they  turned  aside 
thither,  to  go  in  to  lodge  in  Gibeah :  and  he  went  in,  and  sat  him 


JUDGES  167 

down  in  the  street  of  the  city;  for  there  was  no  man  that  took 
them  into  his  house  to  lodge. 

And,  behold,  there  came  an  old  man  from  his  work  out  of  the 
field  at  even:  now  the  man  was  of  the  hill  country  of  Ephraim, 
and  he  sojourned  in  Gibeah;  but  the  men  of  the  place  were  Ben- 
jamites.  And  he  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and  saw  the  wayfaring  man 
in  the  street  of  the  city;  and  the  old  man  said,  "  Whither  goest 
thou?  and  whence  comest  thou?  "  And  he  said  unto  him, 
"  We  are  passing  from  Beth-lehem-judah  unto  the  farther  side 
of  the  hill  country  of  Ephraim ;  from  thence  am  I,  and  I  went  to 
Beth-lehem-judah:  and  I  am  7iow  going  to  the  house  of  Yahweh: 
and  there  is  no  man  that  taketh  me  into  his  house.  Yet  there  is 
both  straw  and  provender  for  our  asses;  and  there  is  bread  and 
wine  also  for  me,  and  for  thy  handmaid,  and  for  the  young  man 
that  is  with  thy  servants:  there  is  no  want  of  any  thing."  And 
the  old  man  said,  "  Peace  be  unto  thee;  howsoever  let  all  thy 
wants  lie  upon  me ;  only  lodge  not  in  the  street."  So  he  brought 
him  into  his  house,  and  gave  the  asses  fodder;  and  they  washed 
their  feet,  and  did  eat  and  drink. 

As  they  were  making  their  hearts  merry,  behold,  the  men  of 
the  city,  certain  base  fellows,  beset  the  house  round  about, 
beating  at  the  door;  and  they  spake  to  the  master  of  the  house, 
the  old  man,  saying,  ''  Bring  forth  the  man  that  came  into  thy 
house,  that  we  may  know  him."  And  the  man,  the  master  of  the 
house,  went  out  unto  them,  and  said  unto  them,  ''  Nay,  my 
brethren,  I  pray  you,  do  not  so  wickedly;  seeing  that  this  man  is 
come  into  my  house,  do  not  this  folly."  But  the  men  would  not 
hearken  to  him:  so  the  man  laid  hold  on  his  concubine,  and 
brought  her  forth  unto  them;  and  they  knew  her,  and  abused 
her  all  the  night  until  the  morning:  and  when  the  day  began  to 
spring,  they  let  her  go.  Then  came  the  woman  in  the  dawning 
of  the  day,  and  fell  down  at  the  door  of  the  man's  house  where 
her  lord  was,  till  it  was  light. 

And  her  lord  rose  up  in  the  morning,  and  opened  the  doors  of 
the  house,  and  went  out  to  go  his  way;  and,  behold,  the  woman 
his  concubine  was  fallen  dowai  at  the  door  of  the  house,  with  her 
hands  upon  the  threshold.  And  he  said  unto  her,  ''  Up,  and  let 
us  be  going  ";  but  none  answered:  then  he  took  her  up  upon  the 
ass;   and  the  man  rose  up,  and  gat  him  unto  his  place.    And 


158  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

when  he  was  come  into  his  liouse,  he  took  a  knife,  and  laid  hoki  on 
his  concubine,  and  divided  her,  limb  by  limb,  into  twelve  pieces, 
and  sent  her  throughout  all  the  borders  of  Israel.  And  it  was  so, 
that  all  that  saw  it  said,  ''  There  was  no  such  deed  done  nor  seen 
from  the  day  that  the  children  of  Israel  came  up  out  of  the  land  of 
Egypt  unto  this  day:  consider  it,  take  counsel,  and  speak." 


SAMUEL  I 


SAMUEL  I 

The  Story  of  Samuel 

Now  Israel  went  out  against  the  Philistines  to  battle,  and 
pitched  beside  Eben-ezer:  and  the  Philistines  pitched  in  Aphek. 

And  the  Philistines  put  themselves  in  array  against  Israel: 
and  when  they  joined  battle,  Israel  was  smitten  before  the 
PhiHstines:  and  they  slew  of  the  army  in  the  field  about  four 
thousand  men.  And  when  the  people  were  come  into  the  camp, 
the  elders  of  Israel  said,  "  Wherefore  hath  Yahweh  smitten  us 
today  before  the  Philistines?  Let  us  fetch  the  ark  of  the  cove- 
nant of  Yahweh  out  of  Shiloh  unto  us,  that  it  may  come  among 
us,  and  save  us  out  of  the  hand  of  our  enemies." 

So  the  people  sent  to  Shiloh,  and  they  brought  from  thence 
the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  Yahweh,  the  Lord  of  hosts,  which 
sitteth  upon  the  cherubim:  and  the  two  sons  of  Eli,  Hophni 
and  Phinehas,  were  there  with  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  God. 
And  when  the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  Yahweh  came  into  the 
camp,  all  Israel  shouted  with  a  great  shout,  so  that  the  earth 
rang  again. 

And  when  the  Philistines  heard  the  noise  of  the  shout,  they 
said,  "  What  meaneth  the  noise  of  this  great  shout  in  the  camp 
of  the  Hebrews?  "  And  they  understood  that  the  ark  of  Yah- 
weh was  come  into  the  camp. 

And  the  Philistines  were  afraid,  for  they  said,  "  God  is  come 
into  the  camp."  And  they  said,  "  Woe  unto  us!  For  there 
hath  not  been  such  a  thing  heretofore.  Woe  unto  us!  Who 
shall  deliver  us  out  of  the  hand  of  these  mighty  gods?  These 
are  the  gods  that  smote  the  Egyptians,  with  all  manner  of  plagues 
in  the  wilderness.  Be  strong,  and  quit  yourselves  like  men,  0 
ye  Phihstines,  that  ye  be  not  servants  unto  the  Hebrews,  as 
they  have  been  to  you:  quit  yourselves  like  men,  and  fight." 

And  the  Phihstines  fought,  and  Israel  was  smitten,  and  they 
fled  every  man  to  his  tent:  and  there  was  a  very  great  slaughter; 
for  there  fell  of  Israel  thirty  thousand  footmen.    And  the  ark 


1G2  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEII 

of  God  was  taken ;  and  the  two  sons  of  Eli,  Hophni  and  Phinehas, 
were  slain. 

And  there  ran  a  man  of  Benjamin  out  of  the  army,  and  came 
to  Shiloh  the  same  da}^  with  his  clothes  rent,  and  with  earth  upon 
his  head.  And  when  he  came,  lo,  Eli  sat  upon  his  seat  by  the 
wayside  watching:  for  his  heart  trembled  for  the  ark  of  God. 

And  when  the  man  came  into  the  citj^  and  told  it,  all  the  city 
cried  out.  And  when  Eli  heard  the  noise  of  the  crying,  he  said, 
''  What  meaneth  the  noise  of  this  tumult?  "  Aiid  the  man 
hasted,  and  came  and  told  Eli.  Now  Eli  was  ninety  and  eight 
years  old;  and  his  eyes  were  set,  that  he  could  not  see.  And 
the  man  said  unto  Eli,  ''  I  am  he  that  came  out  of  the  army,  and 
I  fled  today  out  of  the  army."  And  he  said,  "  How  went  the 
matter,  my  son?  "  And  he  that  brought  the  tidings  answered 
and  said,  "  Israel  is  fled  before  the  Philistines,  and  there  hath 
been  also  a  great  slaughter  among  the  people,  and  thy  two  sons 
also,  Hophni  and  Phinheas,  are  dead,  and  the  ark  of  God  is 
taken." 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  he  made  mention  of  the  ark  of  God, 
that  he  fell  from  off  his  seat  backward  by  the  side  of  the  gate, 
and  his  neck  brake,  and  he  died:  for  he  was  an  old  man,  and 
heavy.     And  he  had  judged  Israel  forty  years. 

And  his  daughter-in-lav/,  Phinehas'  wife,  was  mth  child,  near 
to  be  delivered:  and  when  she  heard  the  tidings  that  the  ark 
of  God  was  taken,  and  that  her  father-in-law  and  her  husband 
were  dead,  she  bowed  herself  and  brought  forth;  for  her  pains 
came  upon  her.  And  about  the  time  of  her  death  the  women 
that  stood  by  her  said  unto  her,  "  Fear  not;  for  thou  hast  brought 
forth  a  son."  But  she  answered  not,  neither  did  she  regard  it. 
And  she  named  the  child  Ichabod,  saying,  *'  The  glory  is  departed 
from  Israel  ";  because  the  ark  of  God  was  taken,  and  because  of 
her  father-in-law  and  her  husband.  And  she  said,  "  The  glory 
is  departed  from  Israel;  for  the  ark  of  God  is  taken." 

Now  the  Philistines  had  taken  the  ark  of  God,  and  they 
brought  it  from  Eben-ezer  unto  Ashdod.  And  the  Philistines 
took  the  ark  of  God,  and  brought  it  into  the  house  of  Dagon, 
and  set  it  bj^  Dagon. 

And  when  they  of  Ashdod  arose  early  on  the  morrow,  behold, 
Dagon  was  fallen  upon  his  face  to  the  ground  before  the  ark  of 


SAMUEL  I  163 

Yahweh.  And  tliey  took  Dagon,  and  set  him  in  his  place  again. 
And  when  the}^  arose  early  on  the  morrow  morning,  behold, 
Dagon  was  fallen  upon  his  face  to  the  ground  before  the  ark  of 
Yahweh:  and  the  head  of  Dagon  and  both  the  palms  of  his 
hands  lay  cut  off  upon  the  threshold;  only  the  stump  of  Dagon 
was  left  to  him.  Therefore  neither  the  priests  of  Dagon,  nor  any 
that  come  into  Dagon's  house  tread  on  the  threshold  of  Dagon 
in  Ashdod,  unto  this  da5^ 

And  the  hand  of  Yahweh  was  heavy  upon  them  of  Ashdod, 
and  he  destroyed  them,  and  smote  them  with  tumours,  even 
Ashdod  and  the  borders  thereof.  And  when  the  men  of  Ashdod 
saw  that  it  was  so,  they  said,  "  The  ark  of  the  God  of  Israel 
shall  not  abide  v/ith  us :  for  his  hand  is  sore  upon  us,  and  upon 
Dagon  our  god." 

They  sent  therefore  and  gathered  all  the  lords  of  the  Philis- 
tines unto  them,  and  said,  "  What  shall  we  do  with  the  ark  of 
the  God  of  Israel?  "  And  they  answered,  "  Let  the  ark  of  the 
God  of  Israel  be  carried  about  unto  Gath."  And  they  carried 
the  ark  of  the  God  of  Israel  about  thither.  And  it  was  so,  that, 
after  they  had  carried  it  about,  the  hand  of  Yahweh  was  against 
the  city  with  a  very  great  discomfiture:  and  smote  the  men 
of  the  city,  both  small  and  great,  and  tumours  break  out  upon 
them. 

So  they  sent  the  ark  of  God  to  Ekron.  And  it  came  to  pass 
as  the  ark  of  God  came  to  Ekron,  that  the  Eki'onites  cried  out, 
saying,  "  They  have  brought  about  the  ark  of  the  God  of  Israel 
to  us,  to  slay  us  and  our  people."  They  sent  therefore  and 
gathered  together  all  the  lords  of  the  Philistines,  and  they  said, 
"  Send  away  the  ark  of  the  God  of  Israel,  and  let  it  go  again  to 
its  own  place,  that  it  slay  us  not,  and  our  people  " :  for  there  was 
a  deadly  discomfiture  throughout  aU  the  city;  the  hand  of  God 
was  very  heavy  there.  And  the  men  that  died  not  were  smitten 
with  the  tumours;  and  the  cry  of  the  city  went  up  to  heaven. 

And  the  ark  of  Yahweh  was  in  the  country  of  the  Philistines 
seven  months.  And  the  PhiHstines  called  for  the  priests  and 
the  diviners,  saying,  "  What  shall  we  do  with  the  ark  of  Yahweh? 
Show  us  wherewith  we  shall  send  it  to  its  place."  And  they  said, 
"  If  ye  send  away  the  ark  of  the  God  of  Israel,  send  it  not  empty; 
but  in  any  wise  return  him  a  guilt  offermg:   then  ye  shall  be 


164  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

healed,  and  it  shall  be  known  to  you  why  his  hand  i»s  not  removed 
from  you." 

Then  said  they,  "  What  shall  be  the  guilt  offering  which  we 
shall  return  to  him?  "  And  they  said,  "  Five  golden  tumours, 
and  five  golden  mice,  according  to  the  number  of  the  lords  of  the 
Philistines:  for  one  plague  was  on  you  all,  and  on  your  lords. 
Wherefore  ye  shall  make  images  of  your  tumours,  and  images  of 
your  mice  that  mar  the  land;  and  ye  shall  give  glory  unto  the 
God  of  Israel :  peradventure  he  will  lighten  his  hand  from  off 
you,  and  from  off  your  gods,  and  from  off  your  land.  Where- 
fore then  do  ye  harden  your  hearts,  as  the  Egyptians  and  Pha- 
raoh hardened  their  hearts?  When  he  had  wrought  wonderfully 
among  them,  did  they  not  let  the  people  go,  and  they  departed? 
Now  therefore  take  and  prepare  you  a  new  cart,  and  two  milch 
kine,  on  which  there  hath  come  no  yoke,  and  tie  the  kine  to  the 
cart,  and  bring  their  calves  hom.e  from  them :  and  take  the  ark 
of  Yahweh,  and  lay  it  upon  the  cart;  and  put  the  jewels  of  gold, 
which  ye  return  him  for  a  guilt  offering,  in  a  coffer  by  the  side 
thereof;  and  send  it  away,  that  it  may  go.  And  see,  if  it  goeth 
up  by  the  way  of  its  own  border  to  Beth-shemesh,  then  he  hath 
done  us  this  great  e\dl:  but  if  not,  then  we  shall  know  that  it  is 
not  his  hand  that  smote  us;  it  was  a  chance  that  happened 
to  us." 

And  the  men  did  so ;  and  took  two  milch  kine,  and  tied  them 
to  the  cart,  and  shut  up  their  calves  at  home :  and  they  put  the 
ark  of  Yahweh  upon  the  cart,  and  the  coffer  w^th  the  mice  of  gold 
and  the  images  of  their  tumours.  And  the  kine  took  the  straight 
way  by  the  way  to  Beth-sliemesh ;  they  went  along  the  high 
way,  lowing  as  they  went,  and  turned  not  aside  to  the  right  hand 
or  to  the  left;  and  the  lords  of  the  Philistines  went  after  them 
unto  the  border  of  Beth-shemesh. 

And  they  of  Beth-shemesh  were  reaping  their  wheat  harvest 
in  the  valley:  and  they  lifted  up  their  eyes,  and  saw  the  ark, 
and  rejoiced  to  see  it.  And  the  cart  came  into  the  field  of 
Joshua  the  Beth-shemite,  and  stood  there,  where  there  was 
a  great  stone:  and  they  clave  the  wood  of  the  cart,  and  offered 
up  the  kine  for  a  burnt  offering  unto  Yahweh. 

And  the  Levites  took  down  the  ark  of  Yahweh,  and  the  coffer 
that  was  mth  it,  wherein  the  jewels  of  gold  were,  and  put  them 


SAMUEL  I  165 

on  the  great  stone:  and  the  men  of  Beth-shemesh  offered  burnt 
offerings  and  sacrificed  sacrifices  the  same  day  unto  Yahweh. 
And  when  the  five  lords  of  the  Phihstines  had  seen  it,  they  re- 
turned to  Ekron  the  same  day. 

And  these  are  tlie  golden  tumours  which  the  Philistines  re- 
turned for  a  guilt  offering  unto  Yahweh;  for  Ashdod  one,  for 
Gaza  one,  for  Ashkelon  one,  for  Gath  one,  for  Ekron  one;  and 
the  golden  mice,  according  to  the  number  of  all  the  cities  of  the 
Phihstines  belonging  to  the  five  lords,  both  of  fenced  cities  and  of 
country  villages:  even  unto  the  great  stone,  whereon  they 
set  dowm  the  ark  of  Yahweh,  which  stone  remaineth  unto  this 
day  in  the  field  of  Joshua  the  Beth-shemite. 

And  he  smote  the  men  of  Beth-shemesh,  because  they  had 
looked  into  the  ark  of  Yahweh,  even  he  smote  of  the  people 
seventy  men,  and  fifty  thousand  men:  and  the  people  mourned, 
because  Yahweh  had  smitten  the  people  with  a  great  slaughter. 
And  the  men  of  Beth-shemesh  said,  "  Who  is  able  to  stand  before 
Yahweh,  this  holy  God?  And  to  whom  shall  he  go  up  from  us?  " 
And  they  sent  messengers  to  the  inhabitants  of  Kiriath-jearim, 
saying,  "  The  Philistines  have  brought  again  the  ark  of  Yahweh; 
come  ye  down,  and  fetch  it  up  to  you."  And  the  men  of  Kiriath- 
jearim  came,  and  fetched  up  the  ark  of  Yahweh,  and  brought  it 
into  the  house  of  Abinadab  in  the  hill,  and  sanctified  Eleazar 
his  son  to  keep  the  ark  of  Yahweh. 

The  Story  of  Saul 

Now  there  was  a  man  of  Benjamin,  whose  name  was  Kish, 
the  son  of  Abel,  the  son  of  Zeror,  the  son  of  Becorath,  the  son  of 
Aphiah,  the  son  of  a  Benjamite,  a  mighty  man  of  valour.  And  he 
had  a  son,  whose  name  was  Saul,  a  young  man  and  a  goodly: 
and  there  was  not  among  the  children  of  Israel  a  goodlier  person 
than  he :  from  his  shoulders  and  upward  he  was  higher  than  any 
of  the  people. 

And  the  asses  of  Kish,  Saul's  father  were  lost.  And  Kish 
said  to  Saul,  his  son,  "  Take  now  one  of  the  servants  with  thee, 
and  arise,  go  seek  the  asses." 

And  he  passed  through  the  hill  country  of  Ephraim,  and 
passed  through  the  land  of  Shalishah,  but  they  found  them  not, 
then  they  passed  through  the  land  of  ShalUm,  and  there  they 


166  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

were  not:  and  he  passed  through  the  land  of  the  Benjamites, 
but  they  found  them  not. 

When  they  were  come  to  the  land  of  Zuph,  Saul  said  to  his 
servant  that  was  with  him,  "  Come  and  let  us  return;  lest  my 
father  leave  caring  for  the  asses,  and  take  thought  for  us." 
And  he  said  unto  him,  "  Behold  now,  there  is  in  this  city  a  man 
of  God,  and  he  is  a  man  that  is  held  in  honour;  all  that  he  saith 
comcth  surely  to  pass:  now  let  us  go  thither;  peradventure  he 
can  tell  us  concerning  our  journey  whereon  we  go."  Then  said 
Saul  to  his  servant,  "  But,  behold,  if  we  go,  what  shall  we  bring 
the  man?  For  the  bread  is  spent  in  our  vessels,  and  there  is  not 
a  present  to  bring  to  the  man  of  God:  what  have  we?  "  And 
the  servant  answered  Saul  again,  and  said,  "  Behold,  I  have  in 
my  hand  the  fourth  part  of  a  shekel  of  silver :  that  will  I  give  to 
the  man  of  God,  to  tell  us  our  way."  (Beforetime  in  Israel, 
when  a  man  went  to  inquire  of  God,  thus  he  said,  "  Come  and 
let  us  go  to  the  seer  ":  for  he  that  is  now  called  a  Prophet  was 
beforetime  called  a  Seer.)  Then  said  Saul  to  his  servant,  "  Well 
said;   come,  let  us  go." 

So  they  went  unto  the  cit}^  where  the  man  of  God  was.  As 
they  went  up  the  ascent  to  the  city,  they  found  young  maidens 
going  out  to  draw  water,  and  said  vmto  them,  "  Is  the  seer 
here?  "  And  they  answered  them,  and  said,  "  He  is;  behold,  he 
is  before  thee:  make  haste  now,  for  he  is  come  today  into  the 
city;  for  the  people  have  a  sacrifice  today  in  the  high  place: 
as  soon  as  ye  be  come  into  the  city,  ye  shall  straightway  find 
him,  before  he  go  up  to  the  high  place  to  eat :  for  the  people  will 
not  eat  until  he  come,  because  he  doth  bless  the  sacrifice;  and 
afterwards  they  eat  that  be  bidden.  Now  therefore  get  you 
up;  for  at  this  time  ye  shall  find  him."  And  they  went  up  to 
the  city,  and  as  they  came  within  the  city,  behold,  Samuel  came 
out  against  them,  for  to  go  up  to  the  high  place. 

Now  Yahweh  had  revealed  unto  Samuel  a  day  before  Saul 
came,  saying,  "  Tomorrow  about  this  time  I  will  send  thee  a  man 
out  of  the  land  of  Benjamin,  and  thou  shalt  anoint  him  to  be 
prince  over  my  people  Israel,  and  he  shall  save  my  people  out  of 
the  hand  of  the  Philistines:  for  I  have  looked  upon  mj'-  people, 
because  their  cry  is  come  unto  me." 

And  when  Samuel  saw  Saul,  Yahweh  said  unto  him,  ''  Behold 


SAMUEL  I  167 

the  man  of  whom  I  spake  to  thee!  This  same  shall  have  au- 
thority over  my  people." 

Then  Saul  drew  near  to  Samuel  in  the  gate,  and  said,  "  Tell 
me,  I  praj"  thee,  where  the  seer's  house  is."  And  Samuel  an- 
swered Saul,  and  said,  "  I  am  the  seer;  go  up  before  me  unto 
the  high  place,  for  ye  shall  eat  with  me  today:  and  in  the  morn- 
ing I  will  let  thee  go,  and  will  tell  thee  all  that  is  in  thine  heart. 
And  as  for  thine  asses  that  were  lost  three  days  ago,  set  not  thy 
mind  on  them;  for  they  are  found.  And  for  whom  is  all  that  is 
desiral)le  in  Israel?  Is  it  not  for  thee,  and  for  all  thy  father's 
house?  " 

And  Saul  answered  and  said,  "  Am  not  I  a  Benjamite,  of  the 
smallest  of  the  tribes  of  Israel?  And  my  family  the  least  of  all 
the  families  of  the  tribe  of  Benjamin?  Wherefore  then  speakest 
thou  to  me  after  this  manner?  " 

And  Samuel  took  Saul  and  his  servant,  and  brought  them  into 
the  guest  chamber,  and  made  them  sit  in  the  chiefest  place  among 
them  that  were  bidden,  which  were  about  thirty  persons.  And 
Samuel  said  unto  the  cook,  "  Bring  the  portion  which  I  gave 
thee,  of  which  I  said  unto  thee,  '  Set  it  by  thee.'  "  And  the  cook 
took  up  the  thigh,  and  that  which  was  upon  it,  and  set  it  before 
Saul.  And  Samuel  said,  "  Behold  that  which  hath  been  re- 
served! Set  it  before  thee  and  eat;  because  unto  the  appointed 
time  hath  it  been  kept  for  thee,  for  I  said,  '  I  have  invited  the 
people.'  "     So  Saul  did  eat  with  Samuel  that  day. 

And  when  they  were  come  down  from  the  high  place  into 
the  city,  he  communed  with  Saul  upon  the  housetop.  And  they 
arose  early:  and  it  came  to  pass  about  the  spring  of  the  day, 
that  Samuel  called  to  Saul  on  the  housetop,  saying,  "  Up,  that 
I  may  send  thee  away."  And  Saul  arose,  and  they  went  out 
both  of  them,  he  and  Samuel,  abroad. 

As  they  were  going  down  at  the  end  of  the  cit}^,  Samuel  said 
to  Saul,  "  Bid  the  servant  pass  on  before  us  (and  he  passed 
on),  but  stand  thee  still  at  this  time,  that  I  may  cause  thee  to 
hear  the  word  of  God." 

Then  Samuel  took  the  vial  of  oil,  and  poured  it  upon  his  head, 
and  kissed  him,  and  said,  "  Is  it  not  that  Yahweh  hath  anointed 
thee  to  be  prince  over  his  inheritance?  When  thou  art  departed 
from  me  today,  then  thou  shalt  find  two  men  b}''  Rachel's 


168  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

sepulchre,  in  the  border  of  Benjamin  at  Zelzah;  and  they  will 
say  unto  thee,  '  The  asses  which  thou  wentest  to  seek  are  found; 
and  lo  thy  father  hath  left  the  care  of  the  asses,  and  taketh 
thought  for  j^'ou,  saying,  "  What  shall  I  do  for  my  son?  "  '  Then 
shalt  thou  go  on  forward  from  thence,  and  thou  shalt  come  to 
the  oak  of  Tabor,  and  there  shall  meet  thee  there  three  men 
going  up  to  God  to  Beth-el,  one  carrying  three  kids,  and  another 
carrying  three  loaves  of  bread,  and  another  carrying  a  bottle 
of  wine;  and  they  will  salute  thee,  and  give  thee  two  loaves  of 
bread;  which  thou  shalt  receive  of  their  hand.  After  that  thou 
shalt  come  to  the  hill  of  God,  where  is  the  garrison  of  the  Philis- 
tines; and  it  shall  come  to  pass,  when  thou  art  come  thither 
to  the  city,  that  thou  shalt  meet  a  band  of  prophets  coming  down 
from  the  high  place  vdth  a  psaltery,  and  a  timbrel,  and  a  pipe, 
and  a  harp,  before  them;  and  they  shall  be  prophesying:  and 
the  spirit  of  Yahweh  will  come  mightily  upon  thee,  and  thou 
shalt  prophesy  with  them,  and  shalt  be  turned  into  another  man. 
iVnd  let  it  be,  when  these  signs  are  come  unto  thee,  that  thou 
do  as  occasion  serve  thee;  for  God  is  with,  thee." 

And  it  was  so,  that  when  he  had  turned  his  back  to  go  from 
Samuel,  God  gave  him  another  heart:  and  all  those  signs  came 
to  pass  that  day. 

Aiid  when  they  came  thither  to  the  hill,  behold,  a  band  of 
prophets  met  him;  and  the  spirit  of  God  came  mightily  upon 
him,  and  he  prophesied  among  them.  And  it  came  to  pass, 
when  all  that  knew  him  before  time  saw  that,  behold,  he  prophe- 
sied ^vith  the  prophets,  then  the  people  said  one  to  another, 
''  Wliat  is  this  that  is  come  unto  the  son  of  Kish?  Is  Saul  also 
among  the  prophets?  "  And  one  of  the  same  place  answered 
and  said,  "  And  who  is  their  father?  " 

Therefore,  it  became  a  proverb,  "  Is  Saul  also  among  the 
prophets?  " 

And  when  he  had  made  an  end  of  prophesying,  he  came  to 
the  high  place. 

And  Saul's  uncle  said  unto  him  and  to  his  servant,  "  AVhither 
went  ye?  "  And  he  said,  "  To  seek  the  asses:  and  when  we  saw 
that  they  were  not  found,  we  came  to  Samuel."  iVnd  Saul's 
uncle  said,  "  Tell  me,  I  pray  thee,  what  Samuel  said  unto  you." 
And  Saul  said  unto  his  uncle,  ''  He  told  us  plainly  that  the  asses 


SAMUEL  I  169 

were   found."    But    concerning   the  matter   of  the   kingdom, 
whereof  Samuel  spake,  he  told  him  not. 


Then  Nahash  the  Ammonite  came  up,  and  encamped  against 
Jabesh-gilead :  and  all  the  men  of  Jabesh  said  unto  Nahash, 
''  Make  a  covenant  with  us,  and  we  will  serve  thee."  And 
Nahash  the  Ammonite  said  unto  them,  "  On  this  condition  will 
I  make  it  with  you,  that  all  your  right  eyes  be  put  out;  and  I 
will  lay  it  for  a  reproach  upon  all  Israel."  And  the  elders  of 
Jabesh  said  unto  him,  "  Give  us  seven  days'  respite,  that  we 
may  send  messengers  unto  all  the  borders  of  Israel:  and  then, 
if  there  be  none  to  save  us,  we  will  come  out  to  thee." 

Then  came  the  messengers  to  Gibeah  of  Saul,  and  spake  these 
words  in  the  ears  of  the  people :  and  all  the  people  lifted  up  their 
voice,  and  wept.  And,  behold,  Saul  came  following  the  oxen 
out  of  the  field;  and  Saul  said,  "  What  aileth  the  people  that  they 
weep?  "    And  they  told  him  the  words  of  the  men  of  Jabesh. 

And  the  spirit  of  God  came  mightily  upon  Saul  when  he  heard 
those  words,  and  his  anger  was  kindled  greatly.  And  he  took 
a  yoke  of  oxen,  and  cut  them  in  pieces,  and  sent  them  through- 
out all  the  borders  of  Israel  by  the  hand  of  messengers,  saying, 
"  Whosoever  cometh  not  forth  after  Saul  and  after  Samuel,  so 
shall  it  be  done  unto  his  oxen." 

And  the  dread  of  Yahweh  fell  on  the  people,  and  they  came  out 
as  one  man.  And  he  numbered  them  in  Bezek;  and  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  were  three  hundred  thousand  and  the  men  of 
Judah  thirty  thousand. 

And  they  said  unto  the  messengers  that  came,  ''  Thus  shall 
ye  say  unto  the  men  of  Jabesh-gilead,  '  Tomorrow,  by  the  time 
the  sun  is  hot,  ye  shall  have  deliverance.'  "  And  the  messengers 
came  and  told  the  men  of  Jabesh;  and  they  were  glad.  There- 
fore, the  men  of  Jabesh  said,  "  Tomorrow  we  will  come  out  unto 
you,  and  ye  shall  do  with  us  all  that  seemeth  good  unto  you." 

And  it  was  so  on  the  morrow,  that  Saul  put  the  people  in 
three  companies;  and  they  came  into  the  midst  of  the  camp  in 
the  morning  watch,  and  smote  the  Ammonites  until  the  heat 
of  the  day:  and  it  came  to  pass,  that  they  which  remained 
were  scattered,  so  that  two  of  them  were  not  left  together. 


170  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  all  the  people  went  to  Gilgal;  and  there  they  made  Saul 
king  before  Yahweh  in  Gilgal;  and  there  they  sacrificed  sacrifices 
of  peace  offerings  before  Yahweh;  and  there  Saul  and  all  the 
men  of  Israel  rejoiced  greatly. 


And  Saul  chose  him  three  thousand  men  of  Israel;  whereof 
two  thousand  were  with  Saul  in  Michmash  and  in  the  mount  of 
Beth-el;  and  a  thousand  were  with  Jonathan  in  Gibeah  of  Ben- 
jamin: and  the  rest  of  the  people  he  sent  every  man  to  his  tent. 
And  Jonathan  smote  the  garrison  of  the  Philistines  that  was  in 
Geba,  and  the  Phihstines  heard  of  it.  And  Saul  blew  the  trum- 
pet throughout  all  the  land,  saying,  "  Let  the  Hebrews  hear." 
And  all  Israel  heard  say  that  Saul  had  smitten  the  garrison  of 
the  Philistines,  and  that  Israel  also  was  had  in  abomination  with 
the  Philistines.  And  the  people  were  gathered  together  after 
Saul  to  Gilgal. 

And  the  Philistines  assembled  themselves  together  to  fight 
with  Israel,  thirty  thousand  chariots,  and  six  thousand  horse- 
men, and  people  as  the  sand  which  is  on  the  seashore  in  multi- 
tude :  and  they  came  up,  and  pitched  in  Michmash,  eastward  of 
Beth-aven. 

When  the  men  of  Israel  saw  that  they  were  in  a  strait  (for 
the  people  were  distressed),  then  the  people  did  hide  themselves 
in  caves,  and  in  thickets,  and  in  rocks,  and  in  holds,  and  in  pits. 
Now  some  of  the  Hebrews  had  gone  over  Jordan  to  the  land  of 
Gad  and  Gilead. 

And  he  tarried  seven  days,  according  to  the  set  time  that 
Samuel  had  appointed:  but  Samuel  came  not  to  Gilgal;  and  the 
people  were  scattered  from  him.  And  Saul  said,  "  Bring  hither 
the  burnt  offering  to  me,  and  the  peace  offerings."  And  he 
offered  the  burnt  offering. 

And  it  came  to  pass  that,  as  soon  as  he  had  made  an  end  of 
offering  the  burnt  offering,  behold,  Samuel  came;  and  Saul  went 
out  to  meet  him,  that  he  might  salute  him.  And  Samuel  said, 
''  What  hast  thou  done?  "  And  Saul  said,  "  Because  I  saw  that 
the  people  were  scattered  from  me,  and  that  thou  camest  not 
within  the  days  appointed,  and  that  the  Philistines  assembled 
themselves  together  at  Michmash;  therefore  said  I,  '  Now  will 


SAMUEL  I  171 

the  Philistines  come  down  upon  me  to  Gilgal,  and  I  have  not 
entreated  the  favour  of  Yahweh :  I  forced  myseh  therefore,  and 
offered  the  burnt  offering.'  "  And  Samuel  said  to  Saul,  "  Thou 
hast  done  foolishly:  thou  hast  not  kept  the  commandment  of 
Yahweh  thy  God,  which  he  commanded  thee:  for  now  would 
Yahweh  have  established  thy  kingdom  upon  Israel  forever. 
But  now  thy  kingdom  shall  not  continue :  Yahweh  hath  sought 
him  a  man  after  his  own  heart,  and  Yahweh  hath  appointed  him 
to  be  prince  over  his  people,  because  thou  hast  not  kept  that 
which  Yahweh  commanded  thee." 

And  Saul  numbered  the  people  that  were  present  with  him, 
about  six  hundred  men.  And  Saul,  and  Jonathan  his  son,  and 
the  people  that  were  present  with  them,  abode  in  Geba  of 
Benjamin:  but  the  Philistines  encamped  in  Michmash. 

And  the  spoilers  came  out  of  the  camp  of  the  Philistines  in 
three  companies:  one  com.pany  turned  unto  the  way  that 
leadeth  to  Ophrah,  unto  the  land  of  Shual:  and  another  company 
turned  the  way  to  Beth-horon:  and  another  company  turned 
the  way  of  the  border  that  looketh  down  upon  the  valley  of 
Zeboim  toward  the  wilderness.  And  the  garrison  of  the  Philis- 
tines went  out  unto  the  pass  of  Michmash. 

Now  it  fell  upon  a  day,  that  Jonathan,  the  son  of  Saul  said 
unto  the  young  man  that  bare  his  armour,  "  Come  and  let  us  go 
over  to  the  Philistines'  garrison,  that  is  on  yonder  side."  But  he 
told  not  his  father.  And  Saul  abode  in  the  uttermost  part  of 
Gibeah  under  the  pomegranate  tree  which  is  in  Migron :  and  the 
people  that  were  with  him  were  about  six  hundred  men;  and 
Ahijah,  the  son  of  Ahitub,  Ichabod's  brother,  the  son  of  Phinehas, 
the  son  of  Eli,  the  priest  of  Yahweh  in  Shiloh,  wearing  an  ephod. 
And  the  people  knew  not  that  Jonathan  was  gone. 

And  between  the  passes,  by  which  Jonathan  sought  to  go 
over  unto  the  Philistines'  garrison,  there  was  a  rocky  crag  on 
the  one  side,  and  a  rocky  crag  on  the  other  side :  and  the  name 
of  the  one  was  Bozez,  and  the  name  of  the  other  Sehen.  The 
one  crag  rose  up  on  the  north  in  front  of  Michmash,  and  the 
other  on  the  south  in  front  of  Geba. 

And  Jonathan  said  to  the  young  man  that  bare  his  armour, 
''  Come  and  let  us  go  over  unto  the  garrison  of  these  uncircum- 
cised :  it  may  be  that  Yahweh  will  work  for  us :  for  there  is  no 


172  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

restraint  to  Yahweh  to  save  by  many  or  by  few."  And  his 
armour-bearer  said  unto  him,  "Do  all  that  is  in  thine  heart: 
turn  thee,  and  behold  I  am  with  thee  according  to  thy  heart." 
Then  said  Jonathan,  "  Behold,  we  will  pass  over  unto  the  men, 
and  we  will  discover  ourselves  unto  them.  If  they  say  thus  unto 
us,  '  Tarry  until  we  come  to  you  ' ;  then  we  will  stand  still  in 
our  place,  and  will  not  go  up  unto  them.  But  if  they  say  thus, 
'  Come  up  unto  us ' ;  then  we  will  go  up :  for  Yahweh  hath 
delivered  them  into  our  hand;  and  this  shall  be  the  sign  unto 
us." 

And  both  of  them  discovered  themselves  unto  the  garrison  of 
the  Philistines:  and  the  Philistines  said,  "  Behold,  the  Hebrews 
come  forth  out  of  the  holes  where  thej'-  had  hid  themselves." 
And  the  men  of  the  garrison  answered  Jonathan  and  his  armour- 
bearer,  and  said,  "  Come  up  to  us,  and  we  will  show  you  a  thing." 
And  Jonathan  said  unto  his  armour-bearer,  "  Come  up  after 
me:  for  Yahweh  hath  delivered  them  into  the  hand  of  Israel." 

And  Jonathan  climbed  up  upon  his  hands  and  upon  his  feet, 
and  his  armour-bearer  after  him :  and  thej^  fell  before  Jonathan ; 
and  his  armour-bearer  slew  them  after  him.  And  that  first 
slaughter,  which  Jonathan  and  his  armour-bearer  made,  was 
about  twenty  men,  within  as  it  were  half  a  furrow's  length  in  an 
acre  of  land.  And  there  was  a  trembling  in  the  camp,  in  the 
field,  and  among  all  the  people;  the  garrison,  and  the  spoilers, 
they  also  trembled:  and  the  earth  quaked;  so  there  was  an 
exceeding  great  trembling.  And  the  watchmen  of  Saul  in  Gib- 
eah  of  Benjamin  looked:  and,  behold,  the  multitude  melted 
away,  and  they  went  hither  and  thither. 

Then  said  Saul  unto  the  people  that  were  with  him,  "  Number 
now,  and  see  who  is  gone  from  us."  And  when  they  had  num- 
bered, behold,  Jonathan  and  his  armour-bearer  were  not  there. 
And  Saul  said  unto  Ahijah,  "  Bring  hither  the  ark  of  God." 
For  the  ark  of  God  was  there  at  that  time  with  the  children  of 
Israel. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  while  Saul  talked  unto  the  priest,  that 
the  tumult  that  \vas  in  the  camp  of  the  Philistines  went  on  and 
increased:  and  Saul  said  unto  the  priest,  ''Withdraw  thine 
hand."  And  Saul  and  all  the  people  that  were  with  him  were 
gathered  together,  and  came  to  the  battle:   and,  behold,  every 


SAMUEL  I  173 

man's  sword  was  against  his  fellow,  and  there  was  a  very  great 
discomfiture. 

Now  the  Hebrews  that  were  with  the  Phihstines  as  before- 
time,  which  went  up  with  them  into  the  camp,  from  the  country 
round  about;  even  they  also  turned  to  be  with  the  Israelites 
that  were  with  Saul  and  Jonathan.  Likewise  all  the  men  of 
Israel  which  had  hid  themselves  in  the  hill  country  of  Ephraim, 
when  they  heard  that  the  Philistines  fled,  even  they  also  followed 
hard  after  them  in  the  battle. 

So  Yah  well  saved  Israel  that  day:  and  the  battle  passed  over 
by  Beth-aven.  And  the  men  of  Israel  were  distressed  that  day: 
but  Saul  adjured  the  people,  saying,  "  Cursed  be  the  man  that 
eateth  any  food  until  it  be  evening,  and  I  be  avenged  on  mine 
enemies."     So  none  of  the  people  tasted  food. 

And  all  the  people  came  into  the  forest;  and  there  was  honey 
upon  the  ground.  And  when  the  people  were  come  unto  the 
forest,  behold,  the  honey  dropped:  l3ut  no  man  put  his  hand  to 
his  mouth;  for  the  people  feared  the  oath.  But  Jonathan  heard 
not  when  his  father  charged  the  people  with  the  oath:  where- 
fore he  put  forth  the  end  of  his  rod  that  was  in  his  hand,  and 
dipped  it  in  the  honej^-comb,  and  put  his  hand  to  his  mouth: 
and  his  eyes  were  enlightened.  Then  answered  one  of  the  people 
and  said,  ''  Thy  father  straitly  charged  the  people  with  an  oath, 
sajung,  '  Cursed  be  the  man  that  eateth  food  this  day.'  "  And 
the  people  were  faint.  Then  said  Jonathan,  "  My  father  hath 
troubled  the  land:  see,  I  pray  you,  how  mine  eyes  have  been 
enlightened,  because  I  tasted  a  little  of  this  honey.  How  much 
more,  if  haply  the  people  had  eaten  freely  today  of  the  spoil  of 
their  enemies  which  thej^  found?  For  now  hath  there  been  no 
great  slaughter  among  the  Philistines?" 

And  they  smote  of  the  Philistines  that  day  from  Michmash  to 
Aijalon:  and  the  people  were  very  faint.  And  the  people  flew 
upon  the  spoil,  and  took  sheep,  and  oxen,  and  calves,  and  slew 
them  on  the  ground:  and  the  people  did  eat  them  with  the 
blood. 

Then  they  told  Saul,  saying,  "  Behold,  the  people  sin  against 
Yahweh,  in  that  they  eat  with  the  blood."  And  he  said,  "  Ye 
have  dealt  treacherously:  roll  a  great  stone  unto  me  this  day." 
And  Saul  said,  "  Disperse  yourselves  among  the  people,  and  say 


174  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

unto  them,  '  Bring  me  hither  every  man  his  ox,  and  every  man 
liis  sheep,  and  slay  them  here,  and  eat;  and  sin  not  against 
Yahweh  in  eating  with  the  blood.'  "  And  all  the  people  brought 
every  man  his  ox  with.  him.  that  night,  and  slew  them  there. 
And  Saul  built  an  altar  unto  Yahweh:  the  same  was  the  first 
altar  that  he  built  unto  Yahweh. 

And  Saul  said,  "  Let  us  go  down  after  the  Philistines  by  night, 
and  spoil  them  until  the  morning  light,  and  let  us  not  leave  a 
man  of  them."  And  the}^  said,  ''  Do  whatsoever  seemeth  good 
unto  thee."  Then  said  the  priest,  "  Let  us  draw  near  hither 
unto  God."  And  Saul  asked  counsel  of  God,  "  Shall  I  go  down 
after  the  Philistines?  Wilt  thou  deliver  them  into  the  hand  of 
Israel?  "     But  he  answered  him  not  that  day. 

And  Saul  said,  "  Draw  nigh  hither,  all  ye  chiefs  of  the  people: 
and  know  and  see  wherein  this  sin  hath  been  this  day.  For,  as 
Yahweh  liveth,  which  saveth  Israel,  though  it  be  in  Jonathan, 
my  son,  he  shaU  surely  die."  But  there  was  not  a  man  among 
all  the  people  that  answered  him. 

Then  said  he  unto  all  Israel,  "  Be  ye  on  one  side,  and  I  and 
Jonathan,  mj'  son,  will  be  on  the  other  side."  And  the  people 
said  unto  Saul,  "  Do  what  seemeth  good  unto  thee."  Therefore, 
Saul  said  unto  Yahweh,  the  God  of  Israel,  "  Shew  the  right." 
And  Jonathan  and  Saul  were  taken  by  lot  but  the  people 
escaped. 

And  Saul  said,  "  Cast  lots  between  me  and  Jonathan,  my  son." 
And  Jonathan  was  taken.  Then  Saul  said  to  Jonathan,  "  Tell 
me  what  thou  hast  done."  And  Jonathan  told  him,  and  said, 
"  I  did  certainly  taste  a  little  honey  with  the  end  of  the  rod  that 
was  in  mine  hand;  and,  lo,  I  must  die."  And  Saul  said,  "  God 
do  so  and  more  also;  for  thou  shalt  surely  die,  Jonathan." 

And  the  people  said  unto  Saul,  "  Shall  Jonathan  die,  who 
hath  wTought  this  great  salvation  in  Israel?  God  forbid;  as 
Yahweh  liveth,  there  shall  not  one  hair  of  his  head  fall  to  the 
ground;  for  he  hath  ^^Tought  with  God  this  day."  So  the  people 
rescued  Jonathan,  that  he  died  not. 

Then  Saul  went  up  from  following  the  Pliilistines:    and  the 
Philistines  went  to  their  own  place. 
And  there  was  sore  war  against  the  Philistines  all  the  days  of 


SAMUEL  I  175 

Saul:  and  when  Saul  saw  any  mighty  man,  or  any  valiant  man, 
he  took  him  unto  him. 


The  Story  of  David 

Now  the  spirit  of  Yahweh  had  departed  from  Saul,  and  an  evil 
spirit  from  Yahweh  troubled  him.  And  Saul's  servants  said 
unto  him,  "  Behold  now,  an  evil  spirit  from  God  troubleth  thee. 
Let  our  lord  now  command  thy  servants,  which  are  before  thee, 
to  seek  out  a  man  who  is  a  cunning  player  on  the  harp:  and  it 
shall  come  to  pass,  when  the  evil  spirit  from  God  is  upon  thee, 
that  he  shall  play  with  his  hand,  and  thou  shalt  be  well."  And 
Saul  said  unto  his  servants,  ''  Provide  me  now  a  man  that  can 
play  well,  and  bring  him  to  me."  Then  answered  one  of  the 
young  men,  and  said,  "  Behold,  I  have  seen  a  son  of  Jesse  the 
Beth-lehemite,  that  is  cunning  in  playing,  and  a  mighty  man  of 
valour,  and  a  man  of  war,  and  prudent  in  speech,  and  a  comely 
person,  and  Yahweh  is  with  liim." 

Wlierefore  Saul  sent  messengers  unto  Jesse,  and  said,  "  Send 
me  David  thy  son,  which  is  with  the  sheep."  And  Jesse  took 
an  ass  laden  with  bread,  and  a  bottle  of  wine,  and  a  kid,  and  sent 
them  by  David,  his  son  unto  Saul. 

And  David  came  to  Saul,  and  stood  before  him ;  and  he  loved 
him  greatly;  and  he  became  his  armour-bearer.  And  Saul  sent 
to  Jesse,  saying,  "  Let  David,  I  pray  thee,  stand  before  me;  for 
he  hath  found  favour  in  my  sight."  And  it  came  to  pass,  when 
the  evil  spirit  from  God  was  upon  Saul,  that  David  took  the 
harp,  and  played  with  his  hand :  so  Saul  was  refreshed,  and  was 
well,  and  the  evil  spirit  departed  from  him. 

Now  the  Philistines  gathered  together  their  armies  to  battle, 
and  they  were  gathered  together  at  Socob,  which  belongeth  to 
Judah,  and  pitched  between  Socob  and  Azckah,  in  Ephes- 
dammim. 

And  Saul  and  the  men  of  Israel  were  gathered  together,  and 
pitched  in  the  vale  of  Elah,  and  set  the  battle  in  array  against 
the  PhiHstines.  And  the  Philistines  stood  on  the  mountain 
on  the  one  side,  and  Israel  stood  on  the  mountain  on  the  other 
side;  and  there  was  a  valley  between  them.  And  there  went  out 
a  champion  out  of  the  camp  of  the  Philistines,  named  Goliath, 
of  Gath,  whose  height  was  six  cubits  and  a  span. 


176  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  he  had  an  hehnet  of  brass  upon  his  head,  and  he  was 
clad  with  a  coat  of  mail;  and  the  weight  of  the  coat  was  five 
thousand  shekels  of  brass.  And  he  had  greaves  of  brass  upon 
his  legs,  and  a  javelin  of  brass  between  his  shoulders.  And 
the  staff  of  his  spear  was  like  a  weaver's  beam;  and  his  spear's 
head  weighed  six  hundred  shekels  of  iron :  and  his  shield-bearer 
went  before  him.  And  he  stood  and  cried  unto  the  armies  of 
Israel,  and  said  unto  them,  "  Why  are  ye  come  out  to  set  your 
battle  in  array?  Am  not  I  a  Philistine,  and  ye  servants  to  Saul? 
Choose  you  a  man  for  you,  and  let  him  come  down  to  me.  If 
he  be  able  to  fight  with  me,  and  kill  me,  then  will  we  be  your 
servants:  but  if  I  prevail  against  him,  and  kill  him,  then  shall 
ye  be  our  servants,  and  serve  us."  And  the  Philistine  said, 
"  I  defy  the  armies  of  Israel  this  da}^;  give  me  a  man,  that  we 
may  fight  together." 

And  when  Saul  and  all  Israel  heard  those  words  of  the  Philis- 
tine, they  were  dismayed  and  greatly  afraid. 


And  David  said  unto  Saul,  "  Let  no  man's  heart  fail  because 
of  him;  thy  servant  mil  go  and  fight  with  this  Philistine." 
And  Saul  said  to  David,  "  Thou  art  not  able  to  go  against  this 
Philistine  to  fight  with  him;  for  thou  art  but  a  j^outh,  and  he  a 
man  of  war  from  his  youth." 

And  David  said  unto  Saul,  "  Thy  servant  kept  his  father's 
sheep;  and  when  there  came  a  lion,  or  a  bear,  and  took  a  lamb 
out  of  the  flock,  I  went  out  after  him,  and  smote  him,  and  de- 
livered it  out  of  his  mouth:  and  when  he  arose  against  me,  I 
caught  him  by  his  beard,  and  smote  him,  and  slew  him.  Thy 
servant  smote  both  the  lion  and  the  bear:  and  this  uncircumcised 
Philistine  shall  be  as  one  of  them,  seeing  he  hath  defied  the  armies 
of  the  living  God." 

And  David  said,  "  Yahweh  that  delivered  me  out  of  the  paw 
of  the  lion,  and  out  of  the  paw  of  the  bear,  he  will  deliver  me 
out  of  the  hand  of  this  Philistine."  And  Saul  said  unto  David, 
"Go,  and  Yahweh  shall  be  with  thee." 

And  Saul  clad  David  with  his  apparel,  and  he  put  an  helmet 
of  brass  upon  his  head,  and  he  clad  him  with  a  coat  of  mail. 
And  David  girded  his  sword  upon  his  apparel,  and  he  assayed 


SAMUEL  I  177 

to  go;  for  he  had  not  proved  it.  And  David  said  unto  Saul, 
"  I  cannot  go  with  these;  for  I  have  not  proved  them."  And 
David  put  them  off  him.  And  he  took  his  staff  in  his  hand,  and 
chose  him  five  smooth  stones  out  of  the  brook,  and  put  them  in 
the  shepherd's  bag  which  he  had,  even  in  his  scrip;  and  his  shng 
was  in  his  hand :  and  he  drew  near  to  the  PhiUstine. 

And  the  Phihstine  came  on  and  drew  near  unto  David;  and 
the  man  that  bare  the  shield  went  before  him.  And  when  the 
Philistine  looked  about,  and  saw  David,  he  disdained  him:  for 
he  was  but  a  youth,  and  ruddy,  and  withal  of  a  fair  countenance. 

And  the  Philistine  said  unto  David,  "  Am  I  a  dog  that  thou 
comest  to  me  with  staves?  "  And  the  Philistine  cursed  David 
by  his  gods.  And  the  Philistine  said  to  David,  "  Come  to  me, 
and  I  will  give  thy  flesh  unto  the  fowls  of  the  air,  and  to  the 
beasts  of  the  field." 

Then  said  David  to  the  Philistine,  "  Thou  comest  to  me  with 
a  sword,  and  with  a  spear,  and  with  a  javelin:  but  I  come  to 
thee  in  the  name  of  the  Lord  of  hosts,  the  God  of  the  armies 
of  Israel,  which  thou  hast  defied.  This  day  will  Yahweh  deliver 
thee  into  mine  hand;  and  I  will  smite  thee,  and  take  thine 
head  from  off  thee;  and  I  will  give  the  carcasses  of  the  host 
of  the  Philistines  this  day  unto  the  fowls  of  the  air,  and  to  the 
wild  beasts  of  the  earth ;  that  all  the  earth  may  know  that  there 
is  a  God  in  Israel:  and  that  all  this  assembly  may  know  that 
Yahweh  saveth  not  with  sword  and  spear:  for  the  battle  is 
Yahweh's,  and  he  will  give  you  into  our  hand." 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  the  Philistine  arose,  and  came 
and  drew  nigh  to  meet  David,  that  David  hastened,  and  ran 
toward  the  army  to  meet  the  Philistine.  And  David  put  his 
hand  in  his  bag,  and  took  thence  a  stone,  and  slang  it,  and  smote 
the  Philistine  in  the  forehead:  and  the  stone  sank  into  his  fore- 
head, and  he  fell  upon  his  face  to  the  earth. 

So  David  prevailed  over  the  Philistine  with  a  sling  and  with 
a  stone,  and  smote  the  Philistine,  and  slew  him;  but  there  was 
no  sword  in  the  hand  of  David.  Then  David  ran,  and  stood 
over  the  Philistine,  and  took  his  sword,  and  drew  it  out  of  the 
sheath  thereof,  and  slew  him,  and  cut  off  his  head  therewith. 
And  when  the  Philistines  saw  that  their  champion  was  dead, 
they  fled. 


178  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  the  men  of  Israel  and  of  Judali  arose,  and  shouted,  and 
pursued  the  Phihstines,  until  thou  comest  to  Gai,  and  to  the 
gates  of  Ekron.  And  the  wounded  of  the  Philistines  fell  down 
by  the  way  to  Shaaraim,  even  unto  Gath,  and  unto  Ekron. 

And  the  children  of  Israel  returned  from  chasing  after  the 
Phihstines,  and  they  spoiled  their  camp.  And  David  took  the 
head  of  the  Philistine,  and  brought  it  to  Jerusalem;  but  he  put 
his  armour  in  his  tent. 


And  it  came  to  pass,  as  they  came,  when  David  returned  from 
the  slaughter  of  the  Philistine,  that  the  women  came  out  of 
all  the  cities  of  Israel,  singing  and  dancing,  to  meet  king  Saul, 
with  timbrels,  with  joy,  and  with  instruments  of  music.  And  the 
women  sang  one  to  another  in  their  play,  and  said, 

"  Saul  hath  slain  his  thousands, 
And  David  his  ten  thousands." 

And  Saul  was  very  wroth,  and  this  saying  displeased  him; 
and  he  said,  "  They  have  ascribed  unto  Da\dd  ten  thousands, 
and  to  me  they  have  ascribed  but  thousands:  and  what  can  he 
have  more  but  the  kingdom?  "  And  Saul  eyed  David  from  that 
and  forward. 

And  Saul  was  afraid  of  David,  because  Yahweh  was  with  him, 
and  was  departed  from  Saul.  Therefore,  Saul  removed  him  from 
him,  and  made  him  his  captain  over  a  thousand;  and  he  went 
out  and  came  in  before  the  people.  And  David  behaved  himself 
wisely  in  all  his  ways;  and  Yahweh  was  with  him.  And  when 
Saul  saw  that  he  behaved  himself  very  wisely,  he  stood  in  awe 
of  him.  But  all  Israel  and  Judah  loved  David;  for  he  went  out 
and  came  in  before  them. 

And  Michal,  Saul's  daughter,  loved  David:  and  they  told 
Saul,  and  the  thing  pleased  him.  And  Saul  said,  "  I  will  give 
him  her,  that  she  may  be  a  snare  to  him,  and  that  the  hand  of  the 
Philistine  may  be  against  him."  Wherefore  Saul  said  to  David, 
"  Thou  shalt  this  day  be  my  son-in-law  a  second  time." 

And  Saul  commanded  his  servants,  saying,  "  Commune  with 
David  secretly,  and  say, '  Behold,  the  king  hath  delight  in  thee 


SAMUEL  I  179 

and  all  his  servants  love  thee :  now,  therefore,  be  the  king's  son- 
in-law.'  "  And  Saul's  servants  spake  those  words  in  the  ears  of 
David.  And  David  said,  "  Seemeth  it  to  you  a  light  thing  to  be 
the  king's  son-in-law,  seeing  that  I  am  a  poor  man,  and  lightly 
esteemed?  " 

And  the  servants  of  Saul  told  him,  saying,  "  On  this  manner 
spake  David."  And  Saul  said,  "  Thus  shall  ye  say  to  David, 
'  The  king  desireth  not  any  do\\Ty,  but  an  hundred  foreskins  of 
the  Philistines,  to  be  avenged  of  the  king's  enemies.'  " 

Now  Saul  thought  to  make  David  fall  by  the  hand  of  the 
Philistines.  And  when  his  servants  told  David  these  words,  it 
pleased  David  well  to  be  the  king's  son-in-law.  And  the  days 
were  not  expired;  and  David  arose  and  went,  he  and  his  men, 
and  slew  of  the  Philistines  two  hundred  men ;  and  David  brought 
their  foreskins,  and  thej^  gave  them  in  full  tale  to  the  king,  that 
he  might  be  the  king's  son-in-law. 

And  Saul  give  him  Michal,  his  daughter  to  wiie.  And  Saul 
saw  and  knew  that  Yahweh  was  with  David;  and  Michal, 
Saul's  daughter  loved  him.  And  Saul  was  yet  the  more  afraid 
of  David. 

And  there  was  war  again;  and  David  went  out,  and  fought 
with  the  Philistines,  and  slew  them  with  a  great  slaughter;  and 
they  fled  before  him. 

And  an  evil  spirit  from  Yahweh  was  upon  Saul,  as  he  sat 
in  his  house  mth  his  spear  in  his  hand;  and  David  played  with 
his  hand.  And  Saul  sought  to  smite  David  even  to  the  wall  with 
the  spear;  but  he  slipped  away  out  of  Saul's  presence,  and  he 
Smote  the  spear  into  the  wall :  and  Da\dd  fled,  and  escaped  that 
night. 

And  David  fled  from  Naioth  in  Ramah,  and  came  and  said 
before  Jonathan,  ''  What  have  I  done?  What  is  mine  iniquity? 
And  what  is  m.y  sin  before  thy  father,  that  he  seeketh  my  life?" 

And  he  said  unto  him,  "God  forbid;  thou  shalt  not  die: 
behold,  my  father  doeth  nothing  either  great  or  small,  but  that 
he  discloseth  it  unto  me,  and  why  should  my  father  hide  this 
thing  from  m.e?    It  is  not  so." 

And  David  sware  moreover,  and  said,  "  Thy  father  knoweth 
well  that  I  have  found  grace  in  thine  eyes,  and  he  saith,  '  Let 
not  Jonathan  know  this,  lest  he  be  grieved  ' ;  but  truty  as  Yah- 


180  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

well  liveth,  and  as  thy  soul  liveth,  there  is  but  a  step  between  me 
and  death."  Then  said  Jonathan  unto  David,  "  Whatsoever 
thy  soul  desireth,  I  will  even  do  it  for  thee." 

And  David  said  unto  Jonathan,  ''  Behold,  tomorrow  is  the 
new  moon,  and  I  should  not  fail  to  sit  with  the  king  at  meat: 
but  let  me  go,  that  I  may  hide  myself  in  the  field  unto  the  third 
day  at  even.  If  thy  father  miss  me  at  all,  then  say,  '  David 
earnestly  asked  leave  of  me  that  he  might  run  to  Bethlehem 
his  city:  for  it  is  the  yearlj^  sacrifice  there  for  all  the  family.' 
If  he  say  thus,  '  It  is  well ';  thy  servant  shall  have  peace:  but 
if  he  be  wroth,  then  know  that  evil  is  determined  by  him.  There- 
fore deal  kindly  with  thy  servant;  for  thou  hast  brought  thy 
servant  into  a  covenant  of  Yahweh  with  thee :  but  if  there  be  in 
me  iniquity,  slay  me  thyself;  for  why  shouldest  thou  bring  me 
to  thy  father?  " 

And  Jonathan  said,  "  Far  be  it  from  thee:  for  if  I  should  at 
all  know  that  evil  were  determined  by  my  father  to  come  upon 
thee,  then  would  not  I  tell  it  thee?  " 

Then  said  David  to  Jonathan,  "  Who  shall  tell  me  if  perchance 
thy  father  answer  thee  roughl}^?  " 

Then  Jonathan  said  unto  him,  ''  Tomorrow  is  the  new  moon: 
and  thou  slialt  be  missed,  because  thy  seat  will  be  empt3\ 
And  when  thou  hast  stayed  three  days,  thou  shalt  go  down 
quickly,  and  come  to  the  place  where  thou  didst  hide  thyself 
when  the  business  was  in  hand,  and  shalt  remain  by  the  stone 
Ezel.  And  I  will  shoot  three  arrows  on  the  side  thereof,  as 
though  I  shot  at  a  mark.  And,  behold,  I  will  send  the  lad,  say- 
ing, '  Go  find  the  arrows.'  If  I  say  unto  the  lad,  '  Behold, 
the  arrows  are  on  this  side  of  thee':  take  them,  and  come; 
for  there  is  peace  to  thee  and  no  hurt,  as  Yahweh  liveth.  But 
if  I  say  thus  unto  the  boy,  '  Behold,  the  arrows  are  beyond 
thee  ':  go  thy  way;  for  Yahweh  hath  sent  thee  away.  And  as 
touching  the  matter  which  thou  and  I  have  spoken  of,  behold, 
Yahweh  is  between  thee  and  me  forever." 

So  David  hid  himself  in  the  field:  and  when  the  new  moon 
was  come,  the  king  sat  down  to  eat  meat.  And  the  king  sat 
upon  his  seat,  as  at  other  times,  even  upon  the  seat  by  the  wall; 
and  Jonathan  stood  up,  and  Abner  sat  by  Saul's  side:  but 
David's  place  was  empt3\     Nevertheless  Saul  spake  not  any 


SAMUEL  I  181 

thing  that  day:  for  he  thought,  "  Something  hath  befallen  him, 
he  is  not  clean;  surely  he  is  not  clean." 

And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  morrow  after  the  new  moon,  which 
was  the  second  day,  that  David's  place  was  empty:  and  Saul 
said  unto  Jonathan  his  son,  "  Wherefore  cometh  not  the  son  of 
Jesse  to  meat,  neither  yesterday  nor  today?  " 

And  Jonathan  answered  Saul,  "  David  earnestly  asked  leave 
of  me  to  go  to  Beth-lehem:  and  he  said,  '  Let  me  go,  I  pray  thee; 
for  our  family  hath  a  sacrifice  in  the  city;  and  my  brother,  he 
hath  commanded  me  to  be  there :  and  now  if  I  have  found  favour 
in  thine  eyes,  let  me  get  away,  I  pray  thee,  and  see  my  brethren.' 
Therefore,  he  is  not  come  unto  the  king's  table." 

Then  Saul's  anger  was  kindled  against  Jonathan,  and  he  said 
unto  him,  "  Thou  son  of  a  perverse  rebellious  woman,  do  not  I 
know  that  thou  hast  chosen  the  son  of  Jesse  to  thine  own  shame, 
and  unto  the  shame  of  thy  mother's  nakedness?  For  as  long 
as  the  son  of  Jesse  liveth  upon  the  ground,  thou  shalt  not  be 
stablished,  nor  thy  kingdom.  Wherefore  now  send  and  fetch 
him  unto  me,  for  he  shall  surely  die." 

And  Jonathan  answered  Saul,  his  father,  and  said  unto  him, 
"  Wlierefore  should  he  be  put  to  death?    What  hath  he  done?  " 

And  Saul  cast  his  spear  at  him  to  smite  him:  whereby  Jona- 
than knew  that  it  was  determined  of  his  father  to  put  David  to 
death.  So  Jonathan  arose  from  the  table  in  fierce  anger,  and  did 
eat  no  meat  the  second  day  of  the  month :  for  he  was  grieved  for 
David,  because  his  father  had  done  him  shame. 

And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  morning,  that  Jonathan  went  out 
into  the  field  at  the  time  appointed  with  David,  and  a  little  lad 
with  him.  And  he  said  unto  his  lad,  "  Run,  find  now  the  arrows 
which  I  shoot."  And  as  the  lad  ran,  he  shot  an  arrow  beyond 
him.  And  when  the  lad  was  come  to  the  place  of  the  arrow  which 
Jonathan  had  shot,  Jonathan  cried  after  the  lad,  and  said, 
"  Is  not  the  arrow  beyond  thee?  "  And  Jonathan  cried  after 
the  lad,  "  Make  speed,  haste,  stay  not."  And  Jonathan's  lad 
gathered  up  the  arrows,  and  came  to  his  master.  But  the  lad 
knew  not  any  thing:  only  Jonathan  and  David,  knew  the  mat- 
ter. And  Jonathan  gave  his  weapons  unto  his  lad,  and  said 
unto  him,  ''  Go  carry  them  to  the  city." 

And  as  soon  as  the  lad  was  gone,  David  arose  out  of  a  place 


182  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

toward  the  South,  and  fell  on  his  face  to  the  ground,  and  bowed 
himself  three  times :  and  they  kissed  one  another,  and  wept  one 
with  another,  until  David  exceeded.  And  Jonathan  said  to 
David,  "  Go  in  peace,  forasmuch  as  we  have  sworn  both  of  us  in 
the  name  of  Yahweh,  saying,  '  Yahweh  shall  be  between  me  and 
thee,  and  between  my  seed  and  thy  seed,  for  ever.'  "  And  he 
arose  and  departed :  and  Jonathan  went  into  the  city. 

Then  came  David  to  Nob  to  Ahimelech  the  priest:  and 
Ahimelech  came  to  meet  David  trembling,  and  said  unto  him, 
"  Why  art  thou  alone,  and  no  man  with  thee  "?  And  David 
said  unto  Ahimelech  the  priest,  "  The  king  hath  commanded 
me  a  business,  and  hath  said  unto  me,  '  Let  no  man  know  any- 
thing of  the  business  whereabout  I  send  thee,  and  what  I  have 
commanded  thee :  and  I  have  appointed  the  young  men  to  such 
and  such  a  place.'  Now  therefore  what  is  under  thine  hand? 
Give  me  five  loaves  of  bread  in  mine  hand,  or  whatsoever  there 
is  present." 

And  the  priest  answered  David,  and  said,  "  There  is  no  com- 
mon bread  under  mine  hand,  but  there  is  holy  bread;  if  only  the 
young  men  have  kept  themselves  from  women."  And  David 
answered  the  priest,  and  said  unto  him,  "  Of  a  truth  women 
have  been  kept  from  us  about  these  three  days;  when  I  came  out, 
the  vessels  of  the  young  men  were  holy,  though  it  was  but  a 
common  journey;  how  much  more  then  today  shall  their  vessels 
be  holy?  " 

So  the  priest  gave  him  holy  bread:  for  there  was  no  bread 
there  but  the  shewbread,  that  was  taken  from  before  Yahweh, 
to  put  hot  bread  in  the  day  when  it  was  taken  away.  Now 
a  certain  man  of  the  servants  of  Saul  w^as  there  that  day,  de- 
tained before  Yahweh;  and  his  name  was  Doeg  the  Edomite, 
the  chiefest  of  the  herdmen  that  belonged  to  Saul.  And  David 
said  unto  Ahimelech,  "  And  is  there  not  here  under  thine  hand 
spear  or  sword?  For  I  have  neither  brought  my  sword  nor  my 
weapons  with  me,  because  the  king's  business  required  haste." 
And  the  priest  said,  "  The  sword  of  Goliath  the  Philistine,  whom 
thou  slewest  in  the  vale  of  Elah,  behold,  it  is  here  wrapped  in  a 
cloth  behind  the  ephod :  if  thou  wilt  take  that,  take  it :  for  there 
is  no  other  save  that  here."  And  David  said,  "  There  is  none 
like  that;  give  itjne." 


SAMUEL  I  183 

David  therefore  departed  thence,  and  escaped  to  the  cave 
of  AduUam:  and  when  his  brethren  and  all  his  father's  house 
heard  of  it,  they  went  dow^i  thither  to  him.  And  every  one  that 
was  in  distress,  and  every  one  that  was  in  debt,  and  every  one 
that  was  discontented,  gathered  themselves  unto  him;  and  he 
became  captain  over  them :  and  there  were  with  him  about  four 
hundred  men. 

And  David  went  thence  to  Mizpeh  of  Moab :  and  he  said  unto 
the  king  of  Moab,  "  Let  my  father  and  my  mother,  I  pray  thee, 
come  forth,  and  be  with  you,  till  I  know  what  God  will  do  for 
me."  And  he  brought  them  before  the  king  of  Moab :  and  they 
dwelt  with  him  all  the  while  that  David  was  in  the  hold.  And 
the  prophet  Gad  said  unto  David,  "  Abide  not  in  the  hold;  de- 
part, and  get  thee  into  the  land  of  Judah."  Then  David 
departed,  and  came  into  the  forest  of  Hereth. 

And  Saul  heard  that  David  was  discovered,  and  the  men  that 
v^^ere  with  him;  now  Saul  was  sitting  in  Gibeah,  under  the 
tamarisk  tree  in  Ramah,  v^th  his  spear  in  his  hand,  and  all  his 
servants  were  standing  about  him.  And  Saul  said  unto  his 
servants  that  stood  about  him,  "  Hear  now  ye  Benjamites; 
will  the  son  of  Jesse  give  every  one  of  you  fields  and  vineyards, 
will  he  make  you  all  captains  of  thousands  and  captains  of  hun- 
dreds; that  all  of  you  have  conspired  against  me,  and  there  is 
none  that  discloseth  to  me  when  my  son  maketh  a  league  with 
the  son  of  Jesse,  and  there  is  none  of  you  that  is  sorry  for  me,  or 
discloseth  unto  me  that  my  son  hath  stirred  up  my  servant 
against  me,  to  Ue  in  wait,  as  at  this  day?  " 

Then  answered  Doeg,  the  Edomite,  which  stood  by  the  ser- 
vants of  Saul,  and  said,  ''  I  saw  the  son  of  Jesse  coming  to  Nob, 
to  Ahimelech,  the  son  of  Ahitub.  And  he  mquired  of  Yahweh 
for  him,  and  gave  him  victuals,  and  gave  him  the  sword  of  Go- 
liath the  Philistine." 

Then  the  king  sent  to  call  Ahimelech  the  priest,  the  son  of 
Ahitub,  and  all  his  father's  house,  the  priests  that  were  in  Nob  : 
and  they  came  all  of  them  to  the  king.  And  Saul  said,  "  Hear 
now,  thou  son  of  Ahitub."  And  he  answered,  "  Here  I  am,  my 
lord." 

And  Saul  said  unto  him,  "  Why  have  ye  conspired  against 
me,  thou  and  the  son  of  Jesse,  in  that  thou  hast  given  him  bread, 


184  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

and  a  sword,  and  hast  inquired  of  God  for  him,  that  he  should 
rise  against  me,  to  He  in  wait,  as  at  this  day?  " 

Then  Ahimelech  answered  the  king,  and  said,  "  And  who 
among  all  thy  servants  is  so  faithful  as  David,  which  is  the 
king's  son-in-law,  and  is  taken  into  thy  council,  and  is  honorable 
in  thine  house?  Have  I  today  begun  to  inquire  of  God  for  him? 
Be  it  far  from  me;  let  not  the  king  impute  not  anj^thing  unto  his 
servant,  nor  to  all  the  house  of  my  father:  for  thy  servant 
knoweth  nothing  of  all  this,  less  or  more." 

And  the  king  said,  "  Thou  shalt  surely  die,  Ahimelech,  thou, 
and  all  thy  father's  house."  And  the  king  said  unto  the  guard 
that  stood  about  him,  "  Turn,  and  slay  the  priests  of  Yahweh; 
because  their  hand  also  is  with  David,  and  because  they  knew 
that  he  fled,  and  did  not  disclose  it  to  me." 

But  the  servants  of  the  king  would  not  put  forth  their  hand 
to  fall  upon  the  priests  of  Yahweh.  And  the  king  said  to  Doeg, 
'^  Turn  thou,  and  fall  upon  the  priests."  And  Doeg,  the  Edomite 
turned,  and  he  fell  upon  the  priests,  and  he  slew  on  that  day 
fourscore  and  five  persons  that  did  wear  a  linen  ephod.  And 
Nob,  the  city  of  the  priests,  smote  he  with  the  edge  of  the  sword, 
both  men  and  women,  children  and  sucklings,  and  oxen  and  asses 
and  sheep,  with  the  edge  of  the  sword. 

And  one  of  the  sons  of  Ahimelech,  the  son  of  Ahitub,  named 
Abiathar,  escaped,  and  fled  after  David.  And  Abiathar  told 
David  that  Saul  had  slain  Yahweh's  priests.  And  David  said 
unto  Abiathar,  "  I  knew  on  that  day,  when  Doeg  the  Edomite 
was  there,  that  he  would  surely  tell  Saul :  I  have  occasioned  the 
death  of  all  the  persons  of  thy  father's  house.  Abide  thou  with 
me,  fear  not:  for  he  that  seeketh  my  life  seeketh  thy  life:  for 
with  me  thou  shalt  be  in  safeguard." 

And  they  told  David,  saying,  ''  Behold,  the  Philistines  are 
fighting  against   Keilah,   and   they  rob   the   threshing-floors." 

Therefore  David  inquired  of  Yahweh,  saying,  ^*  Shall  I  go 
and  smite  these  Phihstines?  "  And  Yahweh  said  unto  David, 
"  Go,  and  smite  the  Philistines,  and  save  Keilah."  And  David's 
men  said  unto  him,  "  Behold,  we  be  afraid  here  in  Judah:  how 
much  more  then  if  we  go  to  Keilah  against  the  armies  of  the 
Philistines? "     Then   David   inquired   of   Yahweh   yet   again. 


SAMUEL  I  185 

And  Yahweh  answered  him  and  said,  "  Arise,  go  down  to  Keilah; 
for  I  will  deliver  the  Philistines  into  thine  hand." 

And  David  and  his  men  went  to  Keilah,  and  fought  with 
the  Philistines,  and  brought  away  their  cattle,  and  slew  them 
with  a  great  slaughter.  So  David  saved  the  inhabitants  of 
Keilah. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Abiathar,  the  son  of  Ahimelech, 
fled  to  David  to  Keilah,  that  he  came  down  with  an  ephod  in 
his  hand.  And  it  was  told  Saul  that  David  was  come  to  Keilah. 
And  Saul  said,  ''God  hath  delivered  him  into  mine  hand;  for 
he  is  shut  in,  by  entering  into  a  town  that  hath  gates  and  bars." 

And  Saul  summoned  all  the  people  to  war,  to  go  down  to 
Keilah,  to  besiege  David  and  his  men. 

And  David  knew  that  Saul  devised  mischief  against  him; 
and  he  said  to  Abiathar,  the  priest,  ''  Bring  hither  the  ephod." 
Then  said  David,  "  0  Yahweh,  the  God  of  Israel,  thy  servant 
hath  surely  heard  that  Saul  seeketh  to  come  to  Keilah,  to  destroy 
the  city  for  my  sake.  Will  the  men  of  Keilah  deliver  me  up  into 
his  hand?  Will  Saul  come  down,  as  thy  servant  hath  heard? 
O  Yahweh,  the  God  of  Israel,  I  beseech  thee,  tell  thy  servant." 

And  Yahweh  said,  "  He  will  come  down."  Then  said  David, 
"  Will  the  men  of  Keilah  deliver  up  me  and  my  men  into  the 
hand  of  Saul?  "     And  Yahweh  said,  "  They  will  deliver  thee  up." 

Then  David  and  his  men,  which  were  about  six  hundred, 
arose  and  departed  out  of  Keilah,  and  went  whithersoever  they 
could  go.  And  it  was  told  Saul  that  David  had  escaped  from 
Keilah;  and  he  forbare  to  go  forth. 

And  David  abode  in  the  wilderness  in  the  strong  holds,  and 
remained  in  the  hill  country  in  the  wilderness  of  Ziph.  And 
Saul  sought  him  every  day,  but  God  delivered  him  not  into 
his  hand. 

The  Story  of  Abigail 

And  Samuel  died;  and  all  Israel  gathered  themselves  to- 
gether, and  lamented  him,  and  buried  him  in  his  house  at  Ramah. 
And  David  arose,  and  went  down  to  the  wilderness  of  Paran. 

And  there  was  a  man  in  Maon,  whose  possessions  were  in 
Carmel;  and  the  man  was  ver^-  great,  and  he  had  three  thousand 
sheep,  and  a  thousand  goats:    and  he  was  shearing  his  sheep 


186  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

in  Carmel.  Now  the  name  of  that  man  was  Nabal;  and  the 
name  of  his  wife  Abigail :  and  the  woman  was  of  good  under- 
standing, and  of  a  beautiful  countenance:  but  the  man  was 
churlish  and  evil  in  his  doings;  and  he  was  of  the  house  of  Caleb. 

And  David  heard  in  the  v/ilderness  that  Nabal  did  shear  his 
sheep.  And  David  sent  ten  young  men,  and  David  said  unto 
the  young  men,  "  Get  3^ou  up  to  Carmel,  and  go  to  Nabal,  and 
greet  him  in  my  name :  and  thus  shall  ye  say  to  him  that  liveth 
in  prosperity,  '  Peace  be  both  unto  thee,  and  peace  be  to  thine 
house,  and  peace  be  unto  all  that  thou  hast.  And  now  I  have 
heard  that  thou  hast  shearers:  thy  shepherds  have  now  been 
with  us,  and  we  did  them  no  hurt,  neither  was  there  aught  missing 
unto  them,  all  the  while  they  were  in  Carmel.  Ask  thy  j^oung 
men  and  they  will  tell  thee:  wherefore  let  the  young  men  find 
favour  in  thine  eyes;  for  we  come  in  a  good  day:  give,  I  pray 
thee,  whatsoever  cometh  to  thine  hand,  unto  thy  servants,  and 
to  thy  son  David.'  " 

And  when  David's  young  men  came,  they  spake  to  Nabal 
according  to  all  those  words  in  the  name  of  David,  and  ceased. 
And  Nabal  answered  David's  servants,  and  said,  ''  Who  is 
David?  And  who  is  the  son  of  Jesse?  There  be  many  servants 
now  a  days  that  break  away  every  man  from  his  master.  Shall  I 
then  take  mj^  bread,  and  my  water,  and  my  flesh  that  I  have 
killed  for  my  shearers,  and  give  it  unto  men  of  whom  I  know  not 
whence  they  be?  " 

So  David's  j^oung  men  turned  on  their  way,  and  went  back, 
and  came  and  told  him  according  to  all  these  words.  And  David 
said  unto  his  men,  "  Gird  ye  on  every  man  his  sword."  And 
they  girded  on  everj^  man  his  sword;  and  David  also  girded  on 
his  sword:  and  there  went  up  after  David  about  four  hundred 
men ;  and  two  hundred  abode  b}^  the  stuff. 

But  one  of  the  young  men  told  Abigail,  Nabal's  wife,  saying, 
"  Behold,  David  sent  messengers  out  of  the  wilderness  to  salute 
our  master;  and  he  flew  upon  them.  But  the  men  were  very 
good  unto  us,  and  we  were  not  hurt,  neither  missed  we  anj-- 
thing,  as  long  as  we  were  conversant  with  them,  when  we  were 
in  the  fields :  the}^  were  a  wall  unto  us  both  by  night  and  bj''  daj^ 
all  the  while  we  were  with  them  keeping  the  sheep.  Now 
therefore  know  and   consider  what   thou  wilt  do;    for  evil  is 


SAMUEL  I  187 

determined  against  our  master,  and  against  all  his  house:  for 
he  is  such  a  son  of  Belial,  that  one  cannot  speak  to  him." 

Then  Abigail  made  haste,  and  took  two  hundred  loaves,  and 
two  bottles  of  mne,  and  five  sheep  ready  dressed,  and  five 
measures  of  parched  corn,  and  an  hundred  clusters  of  raisins, 
and  two  hundred  cakes  of  figs,  and  laid  them  on  asses.  And 
she  said  unto  her  young  men,  "  Go  on  before  me;  behold  I  come 
after  you."     But  she  told  not  her  husband  Nabal. 

And  it  was  so,  as  she  rode  on  her  ass,  and  came  do\vn  by  the 
covert  of  the  mountain,  that,  behold,  David  and  his  m-en  came 
down  against  her;  and  she  met  them.  Nov/  David  had  said, 
"  Surely  in  vain  have  I  kept  all  that  this  fellow  hath  in  the 
wilderness,  so  that  nothing  was  missed  of  all  that  pertained 
unto  him:  and  he  hath  returned  me  evil  for  good.  God  do  so 
unto  the  enemies  of  David,  and  more  also,  if  I  leave  of  all  that 
pertain  to  him  by  the  morning  light  so  much  as  one  man  child." 
And  when  Abigail  saw  David,  she  hasted,  and  lighted  off  her 
ass,  and  fell  before  Da\dd  on  her  face,  and  bowed  herself  to  the 
ground. 

And  she  fell  at  his  feet,  and  said,  "  Upon  me,  my  lord,  upon 
me  be  the  iniquity'':  and  let  thine  handmaid,  I  pray  thee,  speak 
in  thine  ears,  and  hear  thou  the  words  of  thine  handmaid. 
Let  not  m.y  lord,  I  pray  thee,  regard  this  man  of  Belial,  even 
Nabal:  for  as  his  name  is,  so  is  he;  Nabal  is  his  name,  and  folly 
is  with  him :  but  I  thine  handmaid  saw  not  the  young  men  of  my 
lord,  whom  thou  didst  send.  Now  therefore  my  lord,  as 
Yahweh  Hveth,  and  as  thy  soul  liveth,  seeing  Yahweh  hath 
withholden  thee  from  bloodguiltiness,  and  from  avenging  thy 
self  with  thine  own  hand,  now  therefore  let  thine  enemies,  and 
them  that  seek  evil  to  my  lord,  be  as  Nabal.  And  now  this 
present  which  thy  servant  hath  brought  unto  my  lord,  let  it  be 
given  unto  the  young  men  that  follow  my  lord.  Forgive,  I 
pray  thee,  the  trespass  of  thine  handmaid:  for  Yahweh  wall 
certainly  make  my  lord  a  sure  house,  because  my  lord  fighteth 
the  battles  of  Yahweh;  and  evil  shall  not  be  found  in  thee  all 
thy  days.  And  though  man  be  risen  up  to  pursue  thee,  and  to 
seek  thy  soul,  yet  the  soul  of  my  lord  shall  be  bound  in  the 
bundle  of  life  ^vith  Yahweh  thy  God;  and  the  souls  of  tliine 
enemies,  them  shall  he  sling  out,  as  from  the  hollow  of  a  sling. 


188  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  it  shall  come  to  pass,  when  Yahweh  shall  have  done  to  my 
lord  according  to  all  the  good  that  he  hath  spoken  concerning 
thee,  and  shall  have  appointed  thee  prince  over  Israel;  that 
this  shall  be  no  grief  unto  thee,  nor  offence  of  heart  unto  my 
lord,  either  that  thou  hast  shed  blood  causeless,  or  that  mj^  lord 
hath  avenged  himself;  and  when  Yahweh  shall  have  dealt  well 
with  my  lord,  then  remember  thine  handmaid." 

And  David  said  to  Abigail,  "  Blessed  be  Yahweh,  the  God  of 
Israel,  which  sent  thee  this  day  to  meet  me:  and  blessed  be 
thy  wisdom,  and  blessed  be  thou,  which  hast  kept  me  this  day 
from  bloodguiltiness,  and  from  avenging  myself  with  mine  own 
hand.  For  in  very  deed,  as  Yahweh,  the  God  of  Israel,  liveth, 
which  hath  withholden  me  from  hurting  thee,  except  thou  hadst 
hasted  and  come  to  meet  me,  surely  there  had  not  been  left 
unto  Nabal  by  the  morning  light  so  much  as  one  man  child." 

So  David  received  of  her  hand  that  which  she  had  brought 
him:  and  he  said  unto  her,  "  Go  up  in  peace  to  thine  house; 
see,  I  have  hearkened  to  thy  voice,  and  have  accepted  thy 
person." 

And  Abigail  came  to  Nabal;  and,  behold,  he  held  a  feast 
in  his  house,  like  the  feast  of  a  king;  and  Nabal's  heart  was 
merry  within  him,  for  he  was  very  drunken:  wherefore  she 
told  him  nothing,  less  or  more,  until  the  morning  light.  And 
it  came  to  pass  in  the  morning,  when  the  wine  was  gone  out  of 
Nabal,  that  his  wife  told  him  these  things,  and  his  heart  died 
within  him,  and  he  became  as  a  stone. 

And  it  came  to  pass  about  ten  days  after,  that  Yahweh  smote 
Nabal,  that  he  died. 

And  when  David  heard  that  Nabal  was  dead,  he  said,  "  Blessed 
be  Yahw'eh,  that  hath  pleaded  the  cause  of  my  reproach  from 
the  hand  of  Nabal,  and  hath  kept  back  his  servant  from  evil: 
and  the  evil-doing  of  Nabal  hath  Yahweh  returned  upon  his 
own  head."  And  David  sent  and  spake  concerning  Abigail,  to 
take  her  to  him  to  wife. 

And  when  the  servants  of  David  were  come  to  Abigail  to 
Carmel,  they  spake  unto  her,  saying,  "  David  hath  sent  us  unto 
thee,  to  take  thee  to  him  to  wife."  And  she  arose,  and  bowed 
herself  with  her  face  to  the  earth,  and  said,  "  Behold,  thine 
handmaid  is  a  servant  to  wash  the  feet  of  the  servants  of  my 


SAMUEL  I  189 

lord."  And  Abigail  hasted,  and  arose,  and  rode  upon  an  ass, 
with  five  damsels  of  hers  that  followed  her;  and  she  went  after 
the  messengers  of  David,  and  became  his  wife. 

David  also  took  Ahinoam  of  Jezreel;  and  they  became  both 
of  them  his  wives.  Now  Saul  had  given  Michal  his  daughter, 
David's  wife,  to  Palti,  the  son  of  Laish,  which  was  of  Gallim. 

And  the  Ziphites  came  unto  Saul  to  Gibeah,  saying,  "  Doth 
not  David  hide  himself  in  the  hill  of  Hachilah,  which  is  before  the 
desert?  "  Then  Saul  arose,  and  went  down  to  the  wilderness  of 
Ziph,  having  three  thousand  chosen  men  of  Israel  with  him,  to 
seek  David  in  the  wilderness  of  Ziph.  And  Saul  pitched  in  the 
hill  of  Hachilah,  which  is  before  the  desert,  by  the  way. 

But  David  abode  in  the  wilderness,  and  he  saw  that  Saul 
came  after  him  into  the  wilderness.  David  therefore  sent 
out  spies,  and  understood  that  Saul  was  come  of  a  certainty. 
And  David  arose,  and  came  to  the  place  where  Saul  had  pitched : 
and  David  beheld  the  place  where  Saul  lay,  and  Abner  the  son 
of  Ner,  the  captain  of  his  host :  and  Saul  lay  within  the  place  of 
the  wagons,  and  the  people  pitched  round  about  him. 

Then  answered  David  and  said  to  Ahimelech  the  Hittite,  and 
to  Abishai,  the  son  of  Zeruiah,  brother  to  Joab,  saying,  "  Who 
will  go  down  with  me  to  Saul  to  the  camp?  "  And  Abishai  said, 
"  I  will  go  down  with  thee." 

So  David  and  Abishai  came  to  the  people  by  night:  and,  be- 
hold, Saul  lay  sleeping  within  the  place  of  the  wagons,  with  his 
spear  stuck  in  the  ground  at  his  head :  and  Abner  and  the  people 
lay  round  about  him. 

Then  said  Abishai  to  David,  "  God  hath  delivered  up  thine 
enemy  into  thine  hand  this  day:  now,  therefore,  let  me  smite 
him,  I  pray  thee,  -with  the  spear  to  the  earth  at  one  stroke,  and  I 
will  not  smite  him  the  second  time." 

And  David  said  to  Abishai,  "  Destroy  him  not:  for  who  can 
put  forth  his  hand  against  Yahweh's  anointed,  and  be  guilt- 
less? "  And  David  said,  "  As  Yahweh  liveth,  Yahweh  shall 
smite  him;  or  his  day  shall  come  to  die;  or  he  shall  go  down 
into  battle,  and  perish.  Yahweh  forbid  that  I  should  put  forth 
mine  hand  against  Yahweh's  anointed:  but  now  take,  I  pray 
thee,  the  spear  that  is  at  his  head,  and  the  cruse  of  water,  and 
let  us  go." 


190  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

So  David  took  the  spear  and  the  cruse  of  water  from  Saul's 
head;  and  they  gat  them  away,  and  no  man  saw  it,  nor  knew  it, 
neither  did  any  awake:  for  they  were  all  asleep;  because  a  deep 
sleep  from  Yahweh  was  fallen  upon  them. 

Then  Da\dd  went  over  to  the  other  side,  and  stood  on  the 
top  of  the  mountain  afar  off;  a  great  space  being  between  them: 
and  David  cried  to  the  people,  and  to  Abner,  the  son  of  Ner, 
sajdng,  "  Answerest  thou  not,  Abner?  "  Then  Abner  answered 
and  said,  "  Who  art  thou  that  criest  to  the  king?  "  And  David 
said  to  Abner,  "  Art  not  thou  a  valiant  man?  And  who  is  like 
to  thee  in  Israel?  "Wherefore,  then  hast  thou  not  kept  watch  over 
thy  lord  the  king?  For  there  came  one  of  the  people  in  to  de- 
stroy the  king  thy  lord.  This  thing  is  not  good  that  thou  hast 
done.  As  Yahweh  liveth,  ye  are  worthj^  to  die,  because  ye  have 
not  kept  watch  over  your  lord,  Yahweh's  anointed.  And  now, 
see,  where  the  king's  spear  is,  and  the  cruse  of  water  that  was  at 
his  head." 

And  Saul  knew  David's  voice,  and  said,  "  Is  this  thy  voice, 
my  son  David?  "    And  David  said,  ''  It  is  my  voice,  my  lord, 

0  king."  And  he  said,  *'  Wherefore  doth  my  lord  pursue  after 
his  servant?  For  what  have  I  done?  Or  what  evil  is  in  mine 
hand?  Now  therefore  I  pray  thee,  let  my  lord  the  king  hear 
the  words  of  his  servant.  If  it  be  Yahweh  that  hath  stirred  thee 
up  against  me,  let  him  accept  an  offering:  but  if  it  be  the  chil- 
dren of  men,  cursed  be  they  before  Yahweh;  for  they  have  driven 
me  out  this  day  that  I  should  not  cleave  unto  the  inheritance  of 
Yahweh,  sajdng,  '  Go,  serve  other  gods.'  Now  therefore  let 
not  my  blood  fall  to  the  earth  away  from  the  presence  of  Yah- 
weh :  for  the  king  of  Israel  is  come  out  to  seek  a  flea,  as  when  one 
doth  hunt  a  partridge  in  the  mountains." 

Then  said  Saul,  "  I  have  sinned:   return,  mj^  son  David:   for 

1  will  no  more  do  thee  harm,  because  ni}^  life  was  precious  in 
thine  eyes  this  day:  behold,  I  have  played  the  fool,  and  have 
erred  exceedingly."  And  David  answered  and  said,  ''  Behold 
the  spear,  0  king!  Let  then  one  of  the  young  men  come  over 
and  fetch  it.  And  Yahweh  shall  render  to  every  man  his  right- 
eousness and  his  faithfulness:  forasmuch  as  Yahweh  delivered 
thee  into  my  hand  todaj^,  and  I  would  not  put  forth  mine  hand 
against  Yaliweh's  anointed.     And,  behold,  as  thy  life  was  much 


SAMUEL  I  191 

set  by  this  day  in  mine  eyes,  so  let  my  life  be  much  set  by  in  the 
eyes  of  Yahweh,  and  let  him  deliver  me  out  of  all  tribulation." 
Then  Saul  said  to  Da\dd,  "Blessed  be  thou,  my  son  David: 
thou  shalt  both  do  mightily,  and  shalt  surely  prevail," 

So  David  went  his  way,  and  Saul  returned  to  his  place.  And 
David  said  in  his  heart,  "  I  shall  now  perish  one  day  by  the  hand 
of  Saul :  there  is  nothing  better  for  me  than  that  I  should  escape 
into  the  land  of  the  Philistines;  and  Saul  shall  despair  of  me, 
to  seek  me  any  more  in  all  the  borders  of  Israel:  so  shall  I  escape 
out  of  his  hand." 

And  David  arose,  and  passed  over,  he  and  the  six  hundred  men 
that  were  mth  him,  unto  Achish  the  son  of  Maoch,  king  of  Gath. 
And  David  dwelt  with  Achish  at  Gath,  he  and  his  men,  every 
man  with  his  household,  even  David  with  his  two  wives,  Ahi- 
noam  the  Jezreelitess,  and  Abigail  the  Carmelitess,  Nabal's 
wife.  And  it  was  told  Saul  that  David  was  fled  to  Gath;  and  he 
sought  no  more  again  for  him. 

And  David  said  unto  Achish,  "  If  now  I  have  found  grace  in 
thine  eyes,  let  them  give  me  a  place  in  one  of  the  cities  in  the 
country,  that  I  may  dwell  there:  for  why  should  thy  servant 
dv»^ell  in  the  royal  city  mth  thee?  "  Then  Achish  gave  him  Ziklag 
that  day:  wherefore  Ziklag  pertaineth  unto  the  kings  of  Judah 
unto  this  day. 

And  the  number  of  the  days  that  David  dwelt  in  the  country 
of  the  Philistines  was  a  full  year  and  four  months.  And  David 
and  his  men  went  up,  and  made  a  raid  upon  the  Geshurites,  and 
the  Girzites,  and  the  Amalekites,  for  those  nations  were  the 
inhabitants  of  the  land,  which  were  of  old,  as  thou  goest  to 
Shur,  even  unto  the  land  of  Egypt.  And  David  smote  the  land, 
and  saved  neither  man  nor  woman  alive,  and  took  away  the 
sheep,  and  the  oxen,  and  the  asses,  and  the  camels,  and  the 
apparel;  and  he  returned,  and  came  to  Achish. 

And  Achish  said,  ''  Hither  have  ye  made  a  raid  today?  " 
And  David  said,  "  Against  the  South  of  Judah,  and  against  the 
South  of  the  Jerahmeelites,  and  against  the  South  of  the  Ke- 
nites." 

And  David  saved  neither  man  nor  woman  aUve,  to  bring  them 
to  Gath,  saying,  "  Lest  they  should  tell  on  us,  saying,  '  So  did 


102  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

David,  and  so  hath  been  his  manner  all  the  while  he  hath  dwelt 
in  the  country  of  the  Philistines.'  " 

And  Achisli  believed  David,  saying,  "  He  hath  made  his 
people  Israel  utterly  to  abhor  him;  therefore,  he  shall  be  my 
servant  forever." 

And  it  came  to  pass  in  those  days,  that  the  Philistines  gath- 
ered their  hosts  together  for  warfare,  to  fight  with  Israel.  And 
Achish  said  unto  David,  "  Know  thou  assiu'edly,  that  thou  shalt 
go  out  with  me  in  the  host,  thou  and  thy  men."  And  David 
said  to  Achish,  "  Therefore,  thou  shalt  know  what  thy  servant 
will  do."  And  Achish  said  to  David,  "  Therefore,  will  I  make 
thee  keeper  of  mine  head  forever." 

The  Story  of  the  Witch  of  Endor 

Now  Samuel  was  dead,  and  all  Israel  had  lamented  him,  and 
buried  him  in  Ramah,  even  in  his  own  city.  And  Saul  had  put 
away  those  that  had  familiar  spirits,  and  the  wizards,  out  of 
the  land. 

And  the  Philistines  gathered  themselves  together,  and  came 
and  pitched  in  Shunem:  and  Saul  gathered  all  Israel  together, 
and  they  pitched  in  Gilboa. 

And  when  Saul  saw  the  host  of  the  Philistines,  he  was  afraid, 
and  his  heart  trembled  greatly.  And  when  Saul  inquired  of 
Yah  well,  Yahweh  answered  him  not,  neither  by  dreams,  nor  by 
Urim,  nor  bj''  prophets.  Then  said  Saul  unto  his  servants, 
'^  Seek  me  a  woman  that  hath  a  familiar  spirit,  that  I  may  go  to 
her,  and  inquire  of  her."  And  his  servants  said  to  him,  "  Be- 
hold, there  is  a  woman  that  hath  a  familiar  spirit  at  En-dor." 
And  Saul  disguised  himself,  and  put  on  other  raiment,  and  went, 
he  and  two  men  with  him,  and  the^'  came  to  the  woman  by  night; 
and  he  said,  "  Divine  unto  me,  I  pray  thee,  by  the  familiar 
spirit,  and  bring  me  up  whomsoever  I  shall  name  unto  thee." 

And  the  woman  said  unto  him,  "  Behold,  thou  knowest  what 
Saul  hath  done,  how  he  hath  cut  off  those  that  have  familiar 
spirits,  and  the  wizards,  out  of  the  land:  wherefore  then  layest 
thou  a  snare  for  my  life,  to  cause  me  to  die?  "  And  Saul  sware 
to  her  by  Yahweh,  saying,  "  As  Yahweh  liveth,  there  shall  no 
punishment  happen  to  thee  for  this  thing."    Then  said  the 


SAMUEL  I  193 

woman,  '^  Whom  shall  I  bring  up  unto  thee?  "    And  he  said, 
"  Bring  me  up  Samuel." 

And  when  the  woman  saw  Samuel,  she  cried  with  a  loud  voice : 
and  the  woman  spake  to  Saul,  saying,  "  Why  hast  thou  deceived 
me?  For  thou  art  Saul."  And  the  king  said  unto  her,  "  Be 
not  afraid;  for  what  seest  thou?  "  And  the  woman  said  unto 
Saul,  "  I  see  a  god  coming  up  out  of  the  earth."  And  he  said  unto 
her,  "  What  form  is  he  of?  "  And  she  said,  "  An  old  man  cometh 
up;  and  he  is  covered  with  a  robe." 

And  Saul  perceived  that  it  was  Samuel,  and  he  bowed  with  his 
face  to  the  ground,  and  did  obeisance.  And  Samuel  said  to 
Saul,  "  Why  hast  thou  disquieted  me,  to  bring  me  up?  "  And 
Saul  answered,  "  I  am  sore  distressed;  for  the  Philistines  make 
war  against  me,  and  God  is  departed  from  me,  and  answereth  me 
no  more,  neither  by  prophets,  nor  by  dreams :  therefore,  I  have 
called  thee,  that  thou  mayest  make  known  unto  me  what  I  shall 
do." 

And  Samuel  said,  "  Wherefore  then  dost  thou  ask  of  me,  see- 
ing Yahweh  is  departed  from  thee,  and  is  become  thine  adversary? 
And  Yahweh  hath  wrought  for  himself,  as  he  spake  by  me: 
and  Yahweh  hath  rent  the  kingdom  out  of  thine  hand,  and 
given  it  to  thy  neighbour,  even  to  David.  Because  thou  obeyedst 
not  the  voice  of  Yahweh,  and  didst  not  execute  his  fierce  wrath 
upon  Amalek,  therefore  hath  Yahweh  done  this  thing  unto  thee 
this  day.  Moreover  Yahweh  will  deliver  Israel  also  with  thee 
into  the  hand  of  the  Philistmes:  and  tomorrow  shalt  thou  and 
thy  sons  be  mth  me:  Yahweh  shall  deliver  the  host  of  Israel 
also  into  the  hand  of  the  Philistines." 

Then  Saul  fell  straightway  his  full  length  upon  the  earth, 
and  was  sore  afraid,  because  of  the  words  of  Samuel;  and 
there  was  no  strength  in  him,  for  he  had  eaten  no  bread  all  the 
day,  nor  all  the  night.  And  the  woman  came  unto  Saul,  and  saw 
that  he  was  sore  troubled,  and  said  unto  him,  ''  Behold,  thine 
handmaid  hath  hearkened  unto  thy  voice,  and  I  have  put  my 
life  in  my  hand,  and  have  hearkened  unto  thy  words  which  thou 
spakest  unto  me.  Now  therefore  I  pray  thee,  hearken  thou 
also  unto  the  voice  of  thine  handmaid,  and  let  me  set  a  morsel 
of  bread  before  thee;  and  eat,  that  thou  mayest  have  strength, 
when  thou  goest  on  thy  way." 


194  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

But  he  refused,  and  said,  *'  I  will  not  eat/'  But  his  servants, 
together  with  the  woman,  constrained  him;  and  he  hearkened 
unto  their  voice. 

So  he  arose  from  the  earth,  and  sat  upon  the  bed.  And  the 
woman  had  a  fatted  calf  in  the  house;  and  she  hasted,  and  killed 
it ;  and  she  took  flour,  and  kneaded  it,  and  did  bake  unleavened 
bread  thereof:  and  she  brought  it  before  Saul,  and  before  his 
servants;  and  they  did  eat.  Then  they  rose  up,  and  went  away 
that  night. 

Now  the  Philistines  gathered  together  all  their  hosts  to 
Aphek:  and  the  Israelites  pitched  by  the  fountain,  which  is  in 
Jezreel.  And  the  lords  of  the  Philistines  passed  on  by  hundreds, 
and  by  thousands :  and  David  and  his  men  passed  on  in  the  rear- 
ward with  Achish. 

Then  said  the  princes  of  the  Philistines,  "  What  do  these 
Hebrews  here?  "  And  Achish  said  unto  the  princes  of  the 
Philistines,  "  Is  not  this  Da\dd,  the  servant  of  Saul  the  king  of 
Israel,  which  hath  been  with  me  these  days  or  these  years,  and 
I  have  found  no  fault  in  him  since  he  fell  away  unto  me  unto  this 
day?  "  But  the  princes  of  the  Philistines  were  vvToth  yviih  him; 
and  the  princes  of  the  Philistines  said  unto  him,  "  Make  the 
man  return,  that  he  may  go  back  to  his  place  where  thou  hast 
appointed  him,  and  let  him  not  go  dovm  with  us  to  battle,  lest 
in  the  battle  he  become  an  adversary  to  us:  for  wherewith 
should  this  fellow  reconcile  himself  unto  his  lord?  Should  it 
not  be  wdth  the  heads  of  these  men?  Is  not  this  David,  of  whom 
they  sang  one  to  another  in  dances,  saying, 

"  Saul  hath  slain  his  thousands, 
And  David  his  ten  thousands?  " 

Then  Achish  called  David,  and  said  unto  him,  "  As  Yahweh 
liveth,  thou  hast  been  upright,  and  thy  going  out  and  thy 
coming  in  with  me  in  the  host  is  good  in  ray  sight :  for  I  have  not 
found  evil  in  thee  since  the  day  of  thy  coming  unto  me  unto  this 
day:  nevertheless,  the  lords  favour  thee  not.  Wherefore  now 
return,  and  go  in  peace,  that  thou  displease  not  the  lords  of  the 
PhiHstines." 

And  David  said  unto  Achish,  "  But  what  have  I  done?  And 
what  hast  thou  found  in  thy  servant  so  long  as  I  have  been  be- 


SAMUEL  I  196 

fore  thee  unto  this  day,  that  I  may  not  go  and  fight  against  the 
enemies  of  my  lord  the  king?  " 

And  Achish  answered  and  said  to  David,  "  I  know  that  thou 
art  good  in  my  sight,  as  an  angel  of  God:  notwithstanding  the 
princes  of  the  Philistines  have  said,  '  He  shall  not  go  up  with 
us  to  the  battle.'  Wherefore,  now  rise  up  early  in  the  morn- 
ing with  the  servants  of  thy  lord  that  are  come  with  thee; 
and  as  soon  as  ye  be  up  early  in  the  morning,  and  have  light, 
depart." 

So  David  rose  up  early,  he  and  his  men,  to  depart  in  the 
morning,  to  return  into  the  land  of  the  Philistines.  And  the 
Philistines  went  up  to  Jezreel. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  David  and  his  men  were  come  to 
Ziklag  on  the  third  day,  that  the  Amalekites  had  made  a  raid 
upon  the  South,  and  upon  Ziklag,  and  had  smitten  Zildag,  and 
burned  it  mth  fire;  and  had  taken  captive  the  v/omen  and  all 
that  were  therein,  both  small  and  great :  they  slev\'  not  any,  but 
carried  them  off,  and  went  their  way. 

And  when  Da\dd  and  his  men  came  to  the  city,  behold,  it 
was  burned  with  fire;  and  their  wives,  and  their  sons,  and  their 
daughters,  were  taken  captives.  Then  David  and  the  people 
that  were  with  him  lifted  up  their  voice  and  wept,  until  they 
had  no  more  power  to  weep.  And  David's  tv/o  wives  were  taken 
captives,  Ahinoam  the  Jezreelitess,  and  Abigail,  the  wife  of 
Nabal,  the  Carmelite.  And  David  w^as  greatly  distressed;  for 
the  people  spake  of  stoning  him,  because  the  soul  of  all  the 
people  w^as  grieved,  every  man  for  his  sons  and  for  his  daughters : 
but  David  strengthened  himself  in  Yahweh  his  God. 

And  David  said  to  Abiathar  the  priest,  the  son  of  Ahimelech, 
"  I  pray  thee,  bring  me  hither  the  ephod."  And  Abiathar 
brought  thither  the  ephod  to  David.  And  David  inquired  of 
Yahweh,  saying,  "  If  I  pursue  after  this  troop,  shall  I  overtake 
them?  "  And  he  answered  him,  "  Pursue:  for  thou  shalt  surely 
overtake  them,  and  shalt  without  fail  recover  all." 

So  David  went,  he  and  the  six  hundred  men  that  were  wdth 
him,  and  came  to  the  brook  Besor,  where  those  that  were  left 
behind  stayed.  But  David  pursued,  he  and  four  hundred  men; 
for  two  hundred  stayed  behind,  which  were  so  faint  that  they 
could  not  go  over  the  brook  Besor :  and  they  found  an  Egyptian 


196  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

in  the  field,  and  brought  him  to  David,  and  gave  him  bread,  and 
he  did  eat;  and  they  gave  him  water  to  drink:  and  they  gave 
him  a  piece  of  a  cake  of  figs,  and  two  clusters  of  raisins;  and  when 
he  had  eaten,  his  spirit  came  again  to  him;  for  he  had  eaten  no 
bread,  nor  drunk  any  water,  three  days  and  three  nights. 

And  David  said  unto  him,  ''  To  whom  belongest  thou?  And 
whence  art  thou?  "  And  he  said,  "  I  am  a  young  man  of  Egypt, 
servant  to  an  Amalekite;  and  my  master  left  me,  because  three 
days  agone  I  fell  sick.  We  made  a  raid  upon  the  South  of  the 
Cherethites,  and  upon  that  which  belongeth  to  Judah,  and  upon 
the  South  of  Caleb;  and  we  burned  Ziklag  with  fire." 

And  David  said  to  him,  "  Wilt  thou  bring  me  down  to  this 
troop?  "  And  he  said,  ''  Swear  unto  me  by  God,  that  thou  wilt 
neither  kill  me,  nor  deliver  me  up  into  the  hands  of  my  master, 
and  I  will  bring  thee  down  to  this  troop." 

And  when  he  had  brought  him  down,  behold,  they  were  spread 
abroad  over  all  the  ground,  eating  and  drinking,  and  feasting, 
because  of  all  the  great  spoil  that  they  had  taken  out  of  the 
land  of  the  PhiUstines,  and  out  of  the  land  of  Judah.  And  David 
smote  them  from  the  twilight  even  unto  the  evening  of  the  next 
day:  and  there  escaped  not  a  man  of  them,  save  four  hundred 
young  men  which  rose  upon  camels  and  fled. 

And  David  recovered  all  that  the  Amalekites  had  taken:  and 
David  rescued  his  two  wives.  And  there  was  nothing  lacking 
to  them,  neither  small  nor  great,  neither  sons  nor  daughters, 
neither  spoil,  nor  anything  that  they  had  taken  to  them:  David 
brought  back  all. 

And  David  took  all  the  flocks  and  the  herds,  w^hich  they  drave 
before  those  other  cattle,  and  said,  "  This  is  David's  spoil." 
And  David  came  to  the  two  hundred  men,  which  were  so  faint 
that  they  could  not  follow  David,  whom  also  the}^  had  made  to 
abide  at  the  brook  Besor:  and  they  went  forth  to  meet  David 
and  to  meet  the  people  that  were  with  him;  and  when  David 
came  near  to  the  people,  he  saluted  them. 

Then  answered  all  the  wicked  men  and  men  of  Belial,  of  those 
that  went  with  David,  and  said,  ''  Because  they  went  not  with 
us,  we  \\dll  not  give  them  aught  of  the  spoil  that  we  have  re- 
covered, save  to  every  man  his  wife  and  his  children,  that  they 
may  lead  them  away,  and  depart."     Then  said  David,  "  Ye 


SAMUEL  I  197 

shall  not  do  so,  my  brethren,  with  that  which  Yahweh  hath  given 
unto  us,  who  hath  preserved  us,  and  delivered  the  troop  that 
came  against  us  into  our  hand.  And  who  will  hearken  unto  you 
in  this  matter?  For  as  his  share  is  that  goeth  down  to  the  battle, 
so  shall  his  share  be  that  tarrieth  by  the  stuff:  they  shall  share 
alike."  And  it  was  so  from  that  day  forward,  that  he  made  it  a 
statute  and  an  ordinance  for  Israel  unto  this  day. 

And  when  David  came  to  Ziklag,  he  sent  of  the  spoil  unto  the 
elders  of  Judah,  ev6n  to  his  friends,  saying,  "  Behold  a  present 
for  you  of  the  spoil  of  the  enemies  of  Yahweh;  to  them  which 
were  in  Beth-el,  and  to  them  which  were  in  Ramoth  of  the  South, 
and  to  them  which  were  in  Jattir:  and  to  them  which  were  in 
Aroer,  and  to  them  which  were  in  Siphmoth,  and  to  them  wiiich 
were  in  Eshtemoa;  and  to  them  which  were  in  Racal,  and  to 
them  which  were  in  the  cities  of  tlie  Jerahmeelites,  and  to  them 
which  were  in  the  cities  of  the  Kenites;  and  to  them  which  were 
in  Hormah,  and  to  them  which  were  in  Cor-ashan,  and  to 
them  which  were  in  Athach;  and  to  them  which  were  in  Hebron, 
and  to  all  the  places  where  David  himself  and  his  men  were  wont 
to  haunt." 

Now  the  Philistines  fought  against  Israel:  and  the  men  of 
Israel  fled  from  before  the  Philistines,  and  fell  down  slain  in 
mount  Gilboa.  And  the  Philistines  followed  hard  upon  Saul 
and  upon  his  sons;  and  the  Philistines  slew  Jonathan,  and 
Abinadah,  and  Malchi-shua,  the  sons  of  Saul.  And  the  battle 
went  sore  against  Saul,  and  the  archers  overtook  him;  and  he 
was  greatly  distressed  by  reason  of  the  archers.  Then  said 
Saul  to  his  armour-bearer,  "  Draw  thy  sword,  and  thrust  me 
through  therewith;  lest  these  uncircumcised  come  and  thrust 
me  through,  and  abuse  me."  But  his  armour-bearer  would 
not;  for  he  was  sore  afraid.  Therefore  Saul  took  his  sword, 
and  fell  upon  it. 

And  when  his  armour-bearer  saw  that  Saul  was  dead,  he  like- 
wise fell  upon  his  sword,  and  died  with  him.  So  Saul  died,  and 
his  three  sons,  and  his  armour-bearer,  and  all  his  men,  that 
same  day  together. 

And  when  the  men  of  Israel  that  were  on  tlie  other  side  of  the 
valley,  and  they  that  were  beyond  Jordan,  saw  that  the  men 


198  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

of  Israel  fled,  and  that  Saul  and  his  sons  were  dead,  they  forsook 
the  cities,  and  fled;  and  the  Philistines  came  and  dwelt  in  them. 

And  it  came  to  pass  on  the  morrow,  when  the  Philistines 
came  to  strip  the  slain,  that  they  found  Saul  and  his  three  sons 
fallen  in  mount  Gilboa.  And  they  cut  off  his  head,  and  stripped 
off  his  armour,  and  sent  iiito  the  land  of  the  Philistines  round 
about,  to  carry  tiie  tidings  unto  the  house  of  their  idols,  and 
to  the  people.  And  they  put  his  armour  in  the  house  of  the 
Ashtaroth:  and  they  fastened  his  bod}^  to  the  wall  of  Beth-san. 

And  when  the  inhabitants  of  Jabesh-gilead  heard  concerning 
him  that  which  the  Philistines  had  done  to  Saul,  all  the  valiant 
]nen  arose,  and  went  all  night,  and  took  the  body  of  Saul  and  the 
bodies  of  his  sons  from  the  wall  of  Beth-shan;  and  they  came  to 
Jebesh,  and  burnt  them  there.  And  they  took  their  bones,  and 
buried  them  under  the  tam.arisk  tree  in  Jabesh,  and  fasted  seven 
davs. 


SAMUEL  II 


SAMUEL  II 
The  Story  of  the  Kings 

And  it  came  to  pass  after  the  death  of  Saul,  when  David  was 
returned  from  the  slaughter  of  the  Amalekites,  and  David  had 
abode  two  days  in  Ziklag;  it  came  even  to  pass  on  the  third 
day,  that,  behold,  a  man  came  out  of  the  camp  from  Saul  with 
his  clothes  rent,  and  earth  upon  his  head :  and  so  it  was,  when  he 
came  to  David,  that  he  fell  to  the  earth,  and  did  obeisance. 

And  David  said  unto  him,  "  From  whence  comest  thou?  " 
And  he  said  unto  him,  "  Out  of  the  camp  of  Israel  and  I  escaped." 
And  David  said  unto  him,  "  How  went  the  matter?  I  pray 
thee,  tell  me."  And  he  answered,  "  The  people  are  fled  from 
the  battle,  and  many  of  the  people  also  are  fallen  and  dead; 
and  Saul  and  Jonathan  his  son  are  dead  also."  And  David 
said  unto  the  young  man  that  told  him,  "  How  knowest  thou 
that  Saul  and  Jonathan  his  son  be  dead?  " 

Then  David  took  hold  on  his  clothes,  and  rent  them;  and  like- 
wise all  the  men  that  were  with  him:  and  they  mourned,  and 
wept,  and  fasted  until  even,  for  Saul,  and  for  Jonathan  his  son, 
and  for  the  people  of  Yahweh,  and  for  the  house  of  Israel;  be- 
cause they  were  fallen  by  the  sword. 

And  David  lamented  with  this  lamentation  over  Saul  and  over 
Jonathan  his  son:  and  he  bade  them  teach  the  children  of  Judah 
the  song  of  the  bow:  behold,  it  is  written  in  the  book  of  Jashar. 

Thy  glory,  0  Israel,  is  slain  upon  thy  high  places! 

How  are  the  mighty  fallen! 

Tell  it  not  in  Gath, 

Pubhsh  it  not  in  the  streets  of  Ashkelon; 

Lest  the  daughters  of  the  Philistines  rejoice. 

Lest  the  daughters  of  the  unchcumcised  triumph. 

Ye  mountains  of  Gilboa. 

Let  there  be  no  dew  nor  rain  upon  you,  neither  fields  of 

offerings : 
For  there  the  shield  of  the  mighty  was  vilely  cast  away. 


202  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

The  shield  of  Saul,  not  anointed  with  oil. 

From  the  blood  of  the  slain,  from  the  fat  of  the  mighty, 

The  bow  of  Jonathan  turned  not  back, 

And  the  sword  of  Saul  returned  not  empty. 

Saul  and  Jonathan  were  lovel}^  and  pleasant  in  their  lives, 

And  in  their  death  they  were  not  divided; 

They  were  s\\dfter  than  eagles, 

They  were  stronger  than  lions. 

Ye  daughters  of  Israel,  weep  over  Saul, 

Who  clothed  j^ou  in  scarlet  delicately, 

AVho  put  ornaments  of  gold  upon  your  apparel. 

How  are  the  mighty  fallen  in  the  midst  of  the  battle! 

Jonathan  is  slain  upon  thy  high  places. 

I  am  distressed  for  thee,  my  brother  Jonathan : 

Very  pleasant  hast  thou  been  unto  me : 

Thy  love  to  me  was  wonderful. 

Passing  the  love  of  women, 

How  are  the  might}"  fallen, 

And  the  weapons  of  war  perished! 

And  it  came  to  pass  after  this,  that  David  inquired  of  Yahweh, 
saying,  "  Shall  I  go  up  into  any  of  the  cities  of  Judah?  "  And 
Yahweh  said  unto  him,  "  Go  up."  And  David  said,  "  Whither 
shall  I  go  up?  "    And  he  said,  "  Unto  Hebron." 

So  David  went  up  thither,  and  his  two  mves,  also,  Ahinoam 
the  Jezreelitess,  and  Abigail  the  wife  of  Nabal  the  Carmelite. 
And  his  men  that  were  \Aith  him  did  David  bring  up,  every  man 
with  his  household:  and  the}'  dwelt  in  the  cities  of  Hebron. 
And  the  men  of  Judah  came,  and  there  they  anointed  David 
king  over  the  house  of  Judah. 

And  they  told  David,  saying,  "'  The  men  of  Jabesh-gilead  were 
they  that  buried  Saul."  And  David  sent  messengers  unto  the 
men  of  Jebesh-gilead,  and  said  unto  them,  "  Blessed  be  ye  of 
Yahweh,  that  ye  have  shewed  this  kindness  unto  your  lord,  even 
unto  Saul,  and  have  buried  him.  And  now  Yahweh  shew  kind- 
ness and  truth  unto  yow.  and  I  also  will  requite  you  this  kind- 
ness, because  jt  have  done  this  thing.  Now,  therefore,  let  your 
hands  be  strong,  and  be  ye  valiant:  for  Saul  your  lord  is  dead, 
and  also  the  house  of  Judah  have  anointed  me  king  over  them." 


SAMUEL  II  203 

Now  Abner  the  son  of  Ner,  captain  of  Saul's  host,  liad  taken 
Ish-bosheth,  the  son  of  Saul,  and  brought  him  over  to  Maha- 
naim;  and  he  made  him  king  over  Gilead,  and  over  the  Ashu- 
rites,  and  over  Jezreel,  and  over  Ephraini,  and  over  Benjamin, 
and  over  all  Israel.  (Ish-bosheth  Saul's  son  was  forty  years  old 
when  he  began  to  reign  over  Israel,  and  he  reigned  two  years.) 

But  the  house  of  Judah  followed  David.  And  the  time  that 
David  was  king  in  Hebron  over  the  house  of  Judah  was  seven 
years  and  six  months. 

And  Abner,  the  son  of  Ner,  and  the  servants  of  Ish-bosheth, 
the  son  of  Saul,  went  out  from  Mahanaim  to  Gibeon.  And 
Joab,  the  son  of  Zeruiah,  and  the  servants  of  David,  went  out, 
and  met  them  by  the  pool  of  Gibeon;  and  they  sat  do^vn,  the 
one  on  the  one  side  of  the  pool,  and  the  other  on  the  other  side 
of  the  pool. 

And  Abner  said  to  Joab,  "  Let  the  young  men,  I  pray  thee, 
arise  and  play  before  us."  And  Joab  said,  "  Let  them  arise." 
Then  they  arose  and  went  over  by  number;  twelve  for  Benja- 
min, and  for  Ish-bosheth,  the  son  of  Saul,  and  twelve  of  the 
servants  of  David.  And  the}^  caught  every  one  his  fellow  by  the 
head,  and  thrust  his  sword  in  his  fellow's  side;  so  they  fell  down 
together;  wherefore  tliat  place  was  called  Helkath-hazzurim, 
which  is  in  Gibeon.  And  the  battle  was  very  sore  that  day; 
and  Abner  was  beaten,  and  the  men  of  Israel,  before  the  servants 
of  David. 

And  the  three  sons  of  Zeruiah  were  there,  Joab,  and  Abishal, 
and  Asahel:  and  Asahel  was  as  light  of  foot  as  a  wild  roe.  And 
Asahel  pursued  after  Abner;  and  in  going  he  turned  not  to  the 
right  hand  nor  to  the  left  from  foUowuig  Abner.  Then  Abner 
looked  behind  him,  and  said,  ''Is  it  thou,  Asahel?  "  And  he 
answered,  "  It  is  I."  And  Abner  said  to  him,  "  Turn  thee  aside 
to  thy  right  hand  or  to  thy  left,  and  lay  thee  hold  on  one  of  the 
young  men,  and  take  thee  his  armour."  But  Asahel  would  not 
turn  aside  from  following  of  him.  And  Abner  said  again  to 
Asahel,  "  Turn  thee  aside  from  following  me:  wherefore  should  I 
smite  thee  to  the  ground?  How  then  should  I  hold  up  my  face 
to  Joab  thy  brother?"  Howbeit  he  refused  to  turn  aside: 
wherefore  Abner  mth  the  hinder  end  of  the  spear  smote  him  in 
the  belly,  that  the  spear  came  out  behind  him;    and  he  fell 


204  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

down  there,  and  died  in  the  same  place:  and  it  came  to  pass 
that  as  many  as  came  to  the  place  where  Asahel  fell  down  and 
died  stood  still. 

But  Joab  and  Abishai  pursued  after  Abner :  and  the  sun  went 
down  when  they  were  come  to  the  hill  of  Ammah,  that  Ueth  be- 
fore Giah  l^y  the  way  of  the  wilderness  of  Gibeon.  And  the 
children  of  Benjamin  gathered  themselves  together  after  Abner, 
and  became  one  band,  and  stood  on  the  top  of  an  hill. 

Then  Abner  called  to  Joab,  and  said,  "  Shall  the  sword  devour 
for  ever?  Knowest  thou  not  that  it  will  be  bitterness  in  the 
latter  end?  How  long  shall  it  be  then,  ere  thou  bid  the  people 
return  from  following  their  brethren?  " 

And  Joab  said,  "  As  God  liveth,  if  thou  hadst  not  spoken, 
surely  then  in  the  morning  the  people  had  gone  away,  nor  fol- 
lowed every  one  his  brother."  So  Joab  blew  the  trumpet,  and 
all  the  people  stood  still,  and  pursued  after  Israel  no  more, 
neither  fought  they  any  more. 

And  Abner  and  his  men  went  all  that  night  through  the 
Arabah;  and  they  passed  over  Jordan,  and  went  through  all 
Bithron,  and  came  to  Mahanaim.  And  Joab  returned  from 
following  Abner:  and  when  he  had  gathered  all  the  people  to- 
gether, there  lacked  of  David's  servants  nineteen  men  and  Asahel. 
But  the  servants  of  David  had  smitten  of  Benjamin,  and  of 
Abner's  men,  so  that  three  hundred  and  threescore  men  died. 
And  they  took  up  Asahel,  and  buried  him  in  the  sepulchre  of  his 
father,  which  was  in  Beth-lehem.  And  Joab  and  his  men  went 
all  night,  and  the  day  brake  upon  them  at  Hebron. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  while  there  was  war  between  the  house  of 
Saul  and  the  house  of  David,  that  Abner  made  himself  strong  in 
the  house  of  Saul.  Now  Saul  had  a  concubine,  whose  name  was 
Rizpah,  the  daughter  of  Aiah:  and  Ish-bosheth  said  to  Abner, 
"  Wherefore  hast  thou  gone  in  unto  my  father's  concubine?  " 
Then  was  Abner  very  wroth  for  the  words  of  Ish-bosheth,  and 
said,  "  Am  I  a  dog's  head  that  belongeth  to  Judah?  This  day 
do  I  shew  kindness  unto  the  house  of  Saul  thy  father,  to  his 
brethren,  and  to  his  friends,  and  have  not  delivered  thee  into  the 
hand  of  David,  and  yet  thou  chargest  me  this  day  with,  a  fault 
concerning  this  woman.  God  do  so  to  Abner,  and  more  also, 
if,  as  Yahweh  hath  sworn  to  David,  I  do  not  even  so  to  him; 


SAMUEL  II  205 

to  translate  the  kingdom  from  the  house  of  Saul,  and  to  set 
up  the  throne  of  David  over  Israel  and  over  Judah,  from  Dan 
even  to  Beer-sheba."  And  he  could  not  answer  Abner  another 
word,  because  he  feared  him. 

And  Abner  sent  messengers  to  David  on  his  behalf,  saying, 
"  Whose  is  the  land?  "  Saying  also,  "  Make  thy  league  with  me, 
and,  behold,  my  hand  shall  be  with  thee,  to  bring  about  all  Israel 
unto  thee." 

And  he  said,  "  Well,  I  will  make  a  league  with  thee;  but  one 
thing  I  require  of  thee,  that  is,  thou  shalt  not  see  my  face,  except 
thou  first  bring  Michal,  Saul's  daughter,  when  thou  comest  to 
see  my  face."  And  David  sent  messengers  to  Ish-bosheth  Saul's 
son,  saying,  "  Deliver  me  my  wife  Michal,  whom  I  betrothed  to 
me  for  an  hundred  foreskins  of  the  Philistines." 

And  Ish-bosheth  sent,  and  took  her  from  her  husband,  even 
from  Paltiel  the  son  of  Laish.  And  her  husband  went  with  her, 
weeping  as  he  went,  and  followed  her  to  Bahurim.  Then  said 
Abner  unto  him,  "Go,  return  ";  and  he  returned. 

And  Abner  had  conununication  with  the  elders  of  Israel, 
saying,  "  In  times  past  ye  sought  for  David  to  be  king  over  you: 
now  then  do  it :  for  Yahweh  hath  spoken  of  David,  saying,  '  By 
the  hand  of  my  servant  David  I  will  save  my  people  Israel  out 
of  the  hand  of  the  Philistines  and  out  of  the  hand  of  all  their 
enemies.'  " 

And  Abner  also  spake  in  the  ears  of  Benjamin:  and  Abner 
went  also  to  speak  in  the  ears  of  David  in  Hebron  all  that  seemed 
good  to  Israel,  and  to  the  whole  house  of  Benjamin.  So  Abner 
came  to  David  to  Hebron,  and  twenty  men  with  him. 

And  David  made  Abner  and  the  men  that  were  with  him  a 
feast.  And  Abner  said  unto  David,  "  I  will  arise  and  go,  and 
will  gather  all  Israel  unto  my  lord  the  king,  that  they  may  make 
a  covenant  with  thee,  and  that  thou  mayest  reign  over  all  that 
thy  soul  desire th. 

And  David  sent  Abner  away,  and  he  Vv^ent  in  peace.  And, 
behold,  the  servants  of  David  and  Joab  came  from  a  foray  and 
brought  in  a  great  spoil  with  them:  but  Abner  was  not  with 
David  in  Hebron;  for  he  had  sent  him  awaj^,  and  he  was  gone  in 
peace. 

When  Joab  and  all  the  host  that  was  with  him  were  come,  they 


206  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

told  Joab,  saying,  "  Abner,  the  son  of  Ner  came  to  the  king,  and 
he  hath  sent  him  away,  and  he  is  gone  in  peace."  Then  Joab 
came  to  the  king,  and  said,  "  What  hast  thou  done?  Behold, 
Abner  came  unto  thee;  why  is  it  that  thou  hast  sent  him  away, 
and  he  is  quite  gone?  Thou  knowest  Abner  the  son  of  Ner,  that 
he  came  to  deceive  thee,  and  to  know  thy  going  out  and  th}'' 
coming  in,  and  to  know  all  that  thou  doest." 

And  when  Joab  was  come  out  from  David,  he  sent  messengers 
after  Abner,  and  they  brought  him  back  from  the  well  of  Sirah : 
but  David  knew  it  not.  And  when  Abner  was  returned  to  Heb- 
ron, Joab  took  him  aside  into  the  midst  of  the  gate  to  speak  with 
him  quietly,  and  smote  him  there  in  the  belly,  that  he  died,  foi- 
the  blood  of  Asahel  his  brother. 

And  afterward  when  David  heard  it,  he  said,  ''  I  and  my  king- 
dom are  guiltless  before  Yahweli  for  ever  from  the  blood  of  Abner, 
the  son  of  Ner:  let  it  fall  upon  the  head  of  Joab,  and  upon  all  his 
father's  house;  and  let  there  not  fail  from  the  house  of  Joab  one 
that  hath  an  issue,  or  that  is  a  leper,  or  that  leaneth  on  a  staff, 
or  that  faileth  b}^  the  sword,  or  that  lacketh  bread." 

So  Joab  and  Abishai  his  brother  slew  Abner,  because  he  had 
killed  their  brother  Asahel  at  Gibeon  in  the  battle. 

And  David  said  to  Joab,  and  to  all  the  people  that  were  with 
liim,  "  Rend  your  clothes,  and  gird  you  with  sackcloth,  and 
mourn  before  Abner.  And  King  David  followed  the  bier.  And 
they  buried  Abner  in  Hel^ron:  and  the  king  lifted  up  his  voice, 
and  wept  at  the  grave  of  Abner;  and  all  the  people  wept.  And 
the  king  lamented  for  Abner,  and  said : 

"  Should  Abner  die  as  a  fool  dieth? 
Thy  hands  were  not  bound,  nor  thy  feet  put  into  fetters: 
As  a  man  faileth  before  the  children  of  iniquitv,  so  didst  thou 
fall." 

And  all  the  people  wept  again  over  him.  And  all  the  people 
came  to  cause  Da\dd  to  eat  bread  while  it  was  yet  day;  but 
David  sware,  saying,  "  God  do  so  to  me,  and  more  also,  if  I  taste 
bread,  or  aught  else,  till  the  sun  be  do\\m."  And  all  the  people 
took  notice  of  it,  and  it  pleased  them:  as  whatsoever  the  king 
did  pleased  all  the  people.     So  all  the  people  and  all  Israel  under- 


SAMUEL  II  207 

stood  that  day  that  it  was  not  of  the  king  to  slay  Abner  the  son  of 
Ner. 

And  the  king  said  unto  his  servants,  "  Know  ye  not  that  there 
is  a  prince  and  a  great  man  fallen  this  day  in  Israel?  And  I  am 
this  day  weak,  though  anointed  king;  and  these  men  the  sons 
of  Zeruiah  be  too  hard  for  me :  Yahweh  reward  the  wicked  doer 
according  to  his  wickedness." 

And  when  Ish-bosheth,  Saul's  son,  heard  that  Abner  was  dead 
in  Hebron,  his  hands  became  feeble,  and  all  the  Israelites  were 
troubled.  And  Ish-bosheth,  Saul's  son,  had  two  men  that  were 
captains  of  hands:  the  name  of  the  one  was  Baanah,  and  the 
name  of  the  other  Rechab,  the  sons  of  Rimmon,  the  Beerothite, 
of  the  children  of  Benjamin:  (for  Beeroth,  also,  is  reckoned  to 
Benjamin:  and  the  Beerothites  fled  to  Gittaim,  and  have  been 
sojourners  there  until  this  day). 

Now  Jonathan,  Saul's  son,  had  a  son  that  was  lame  of  his  feet. 
He  was  five  years  old  when  the  tidings  came  of  Saul  and  Jonathan 
out  of  Jezreel,  and  his  nurse  took  him  up,  and  fled :  and  it  came 
to  pass,  as  she  made  haste  to  flee,  that  he  fell,  and  became  lame. 
And  his  name  was  Mephibosheth. 

And  the  sons  of  Rimmon,  the  Beerothite,  Rechab  and  Baanah, 
went,  and  came  about  the  heat  of  the  day  to  the  house  of  Ish- 
bosheth,  as  he  took  his  rest  at  noon.  And  they  came  thither 
into  the  midst  of  the  house,  as  though  they  would  have  fetched 
wheat :  and  they  smote  him  in  the  belly :  and  Rechab  and  Baa- 
nah his  brother  escaped. 

Now  when  they  came  into  the  house,  as  he  lay  on  his  bed 
in  his  bedchamber,  they  smote  him,  and  slew  him,  and  beheaded 
him,  and  took  his  head,  and  went  by  the  way  of  the  Arabah  all 
night.  And  they  brought  the  head  of  Ish-bosheth  unto  David  to 
Hebron,  and  said  to  the  king,  "  Behold  the  head  of  Ish-bosheth 
the  son  of  Saul  thine  enem.y,  which  sought  thy  life ;  and  Yahweh 
hath  avenged  my  lord  the  king  this  day  of  Saul,  and  of  his  seed." 

And  David  answered  Rechab  and  Baanah  his  brother,  the 
sons  of  Rimmon  the  Beerothite,  and  said  unto  them,  "  As 
Yahweh  liveth,  who  hath  redeemed  my  soul  out  of  all  adversity, 
when  one  told  me,  saying,  '  Behold,  Saul  is  dead,'  thinking  to 
have  brought  good  tidings,  I  took  hold  of  him,  and  slew  him  in 
Ziklag,  which  was  the  reward  I  gave  him  for  his  tidings.     How 


208  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

much  more,  when  wicked  men  have  slain  a  righteous  person  in 
his  own  house  upon  his  bed,  shall  I  not  now  require  his  blood  of 
your  hand,  and  take  you  away  from  the  earth?  " 

And  David  commanded  his  young  men,  and  they  slew  them, 
and  cut  off  their  hands  and  their  feet,  and  hanged  them  up  beside 
the  pool  in  Hebron.  But  they  took  the  head  of  Ish-bosheth,  and 
buried  it  in  the  grave  of  Abner  in  Hebron. 

Then  came  all  the  tribes  of  Israel  to  David  unto  Hebron,  and 
spake,  saying,  ''  Behold,  we  are  thy  bone  and  thy  flesh.  In 
times  past,  when  Saul  was  king  over  us,  it  was  thou  that  leddest 
out  and  broughtest  in  Israel:  and  Yahweh  said  to  thee,  "  Thou 
shalt  feed  my  people  Israel,  and  thou  shalt  be  prince  over  Israel." 
So  all  the  elders  of  Israel  came  to  the  king  to  Hebron;  and  king 
David  made  a  covenant  with  them  in  Hebron  before  Yahweh: 
and  they  anointed  David  king  over  Israel. 

And  the  king  and  his  men  went  to  Jerusalem  against  the 
Jebusites,  the  inhabitants  of  the  land :  which  spake  unto  David, 
saying,  "  Except  thou  take  away  the  blind  and  the  lame,  thou 
shalt  not  come  in  hither  ":  thinking,  "  David  cannot  come  in 
hither."  Nevertheless  David  took  the  strong  hold  of  Zion; 
the  same  is  the  city  of  David. 

And  David  said  on  that  day,  "  Whosoever  smiteth  the  Jebu- 
sites, let  him  get  up  to  the  watercourse,  and  smite  the  lame  and 
the  blind,  that  are  hated  of  David's  soul."  Wherefore  they  say, 
"  There  are  the  blind  and  the  lame;  he  cannot  come  into  the 
house."  And  David  dwelt  in  the  strong  hold,  and  called  it  the 
city  of  David.  And  David  built  round  about  from  Millo  and 
inward.  And  David  waxed  greater  and  greater;  for  Yahweh, 
the  God  of  hosts,  was  with  him. 

And  Hiram,  king  of  Tyre  sent  messengers  to  David,  and  cedar 
trees,  and  carpenters,  and  masons:  and  they  built  David  an 
house.  And  David  perceived  that  Yahweh  had  established  him 
king  over  Israel,  and  that  he  had  exalted  his  kingdom  for  his 
people  Israel's  sake. 

And  when  the  Philistines  heard  that  thej''  had  anointed  David 
king  over  Israel,  all  the  Philistines  went  up  to  seek  David;  and 
David  heard  of  it,  and  went  down  to  the  hold. 

Now  the  Philistines  had  come  and  spread  themselves  in  the 


SAMUEL  II  209 

valley  of  Rephaim.  And  David  inquired  of  Yahweh,  saying, 
''  Shall  I  go  up  against  the  Philistines?  Wilt  thou  deliver  them 
into  mine  hand?"  And  Yahweh  said  unto  David,  "Go  up: 
for  I  will  certainly  deUver  the  Philistines  into  thine  hand." 

And  David  came  to  Baal-perazim,  and  David  smote  them 
there;  and  he  said,  "  Yahweh  hath  broken  mine  enemies  before 
me,  like  the  breach  of  waters."  Therefore  he  called  the  name 
of  that  place  Baal-perazim.  And  they  left  their  images  there, 
and  David  and  his  men  took  them  away. 

And  the  Philistines  came  up  yet  again,  and  spread  themselves 
in  the  valley  of  Rephaim.  And  when  David  inquired  of  Yahweh, 
he  said,  "  Thou  shalt  not  go  up;  make  a  circuit  behind  them, 
and  come  upon  them  over  against  the  mulberry  trees.  And  it 
shall  be,  when  thou  hearest  the  sound  of  marching  in  the  tops  of 
the  mulberry  trees,  that  then  thou  shalt  bestir  thyself :  for  then 
is  Yahweh  gone  out  before  thee  to  smite  the  host  of  the  Philis- 
tines." And  David  did  so,  as  Yahweh  commanded  him;  and 
smote  the  Philistines  from  Geba  until  thou  come  to  Gezer. 

And  David  again  gathered  together  all  the  chosen  men  of 
Israel,  thirty  thousand.  And  David  arose,  and  went  with  all 
the  people  that  were  with  him,  from  Baale  Judah,  to  bring  up 
from  thence  the  ark  of  God,  which  is  called  by  the  Name,  even 
the  name  of  the  Lord  of  hosts  that  sitteth  upon  the  cherubim. 

And  they  set  the  ark  of  God  upon  a  new  cart,  and  brought  it 
out  of  the  house  of  Abinadab  that  was  in  the  hill:  and  Uzzah 
and  Ahio,  the  sons  of  Abinadab,  drave  the  new  cart.  And  they 
brought  it  out  of  the  house  of  Abinadab,  which  was  in  the  hill, 
with  the  ark  of  God :  and  Ahio  went  before  the  ark.  And  David 
and  all  the  house  of  Israel  played  before  Yahweh  with  all  manner 
of  instruments  made  of  fir  wood,  and  with  harps,  and  mth 
psaltries,  and  with  timbrels,  and  with  castanets,  and  \\dth  cym- 
bals. 

And  when  they  came  to  the  threshing-floor  of  Nacon,  Uzzah 
put  forth  his  hand  to  the  ark  of  God,  and  took  hold  of  it;  for  the 
oxen  stumbled.  And  the  anger  of  Yahweh  was  kindled  against 
Uzzah;  and  God  smote  him  there  for  his  error:  and  there  he 
died  by  the  ark  of  God.  And  David  was  displeased,  because 
Yahweh  had  broken  forth  upon  Uzzah :  and  he  called  that  place 
Perez-uzzah,  unto  this  day. 


210  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  David  was  afraid  of  Yahweh  that  flay;  and  he  said, 
"  How  shall  the  ark  of  Yahweh  come  unto  me?  "  So  David 
would  not  remove  the  ark  of  Yahweh  unto  him  into  the  city  of 
David :  but  David  carried  it  aside  into  the  house  of  Obed-edom 
the  Gittite.  And  the  ark  of  Yahweh  remained  in  the  house  of 
Obed-edom  the  Gittite  three  months:  and  Yahweh  blessed 
Obed-edom,  and  all  his  house. 

And  it  was  told  king  David,  sa^dng,  "  Yahweh  hath  blessed 
the  house  of  Obed-edom,  and  all  that  pertaineth  unto  him,  be- 
cause of  the  ark  of  God." 

And  David  went  and  brought  up  the  ark  of  God  from  the  house 
of  Obed-edom  into  the  city  of  David  with  joy.  And  it  was  so, 
that  when  they  that  bare  the  ark  of  Yahweh  had  gone  six  paces, 
he  sacrificed  an  ox  and  a  fatling.  And  David  danced  before 
Yahweh  with  all  his  might;  and  Da\'id  was  girded  with  a  linen 
ephod.  So  David  and  all  the  house  of  Israel  brought  up  the  ark 
of  Yahweh  with  shouting,  and  with  the  sound  of  the  trumpet. 

And  it  was  so,  as  the  ark  of  Yahweh  came  into  the  city  of 
David,  that  Michal,  the  daughter  of  Saul  looked  out  at  the  win- 
dow, and  saw  king  David  leaping  and  dancing  before  Yahweh; 
and  she  despised  him  in  her  heart. 

And  they  brought  in  the  ark  of  Yahweh,  and  set  it  in  its  place, 
in  the  midst  of  the  tent  that  David  had  pitched  for  it :  and  David 
offered  burnt  offerings  and  peace  offerings  before  Yahweh. 
And  when  David  had  made  an  end  of  offering  the  burnt  offering 
and  the  peace  offerings,  he  blessed  the  people  in  the  name  of 
Yahweh,  the  Lord  of  hosts. 

And  he  dealt  among  all  tlie  people,  even  among  the  whole 
multitude  of  Israel,  both  to  men  and  women,  to  every  one  a 
cake  of  bread,  and  a  portion  of  flesh,  and  a  cake  of  raisins.  So  all 
departed  every  one  to  his  house. 

Then  David  returned  to  bless  his  household.  And  Michal, 
the  daughter  of  Saul  came  out  to  meet  David,  and  said,  "  How 
glorious  was  the  king  of  Israel  todaj',  who  uncovered  himself 
today  in  the  eyes  of  the  handmaids  of  his  servants,  as  one  of  the 
vain  fellows  shamelessly  uncovereth  himself! "  And  David 
said  unto  Michal,  "  It  was  before  Yahweh,  which  chose  me  above 
thy  father,  and  above  all  his  home,  to  appoint  me  prince  over 
the  people  of  Yahweh,  over  Israel:  therefore  will  I  play  before 


SAMUEL  IT  211 

Yahweh.  And  I  will  be  yet  more  vile  than  thus,  and  will  be 
base  to  mine  own  sight:  but  of  the  handmaids  which  thou  hast 
spoken  of,  of  them  shall  I  be  had  in  honour."  And  Michal,  the 
daughter  of  Saul  had  no  child  unto  the  daj^  of  her  death. 

And  David  said,  "  Is  there  j^et  any  that  is  left  of  the  house  of 
Saul,  that  I  may  shew  him  kindness  for  Jonathan's  sake?  " 
And  there  was  of  the  house  of  Saul  a  servant  whose  name  was 
Ziba,  and  they  called  him  unto  David;  and  the  king  said  unto 
him,  "  Art  thou  Ziba?  "     And  he  said,  "  Thy  servant  is  he." 

And  the  king  said,  "  Is  there  not  yet  anj'-  of  the  house  of  Saul, 
that  I  may  shew  the  kindness  of  God  unto  him?  "  And  Ziba 
said  unto  the  king,  ''  Jonathan  hath  yet  a  son,  which  is  lame  on 
his  feet."  And  the  king  said  unto  him,  ''  Where  is  he?  "  And 
Ziba  said  unto  the  king,  "  Behold,  he  is  in  the  house  of  Machir, 
the  son  of  Ammiel,  in  Lo-debar." 

Then  king  David  sent,  and  fetched  him  out  of  the  house  of 
Machir,  the  son  of  Ammiel,  from  Lo-debar. 

And  Mephibosheth,  the  son  of  Jonathan,  the  son  of  Saul,  came 
unto  David,  and  fell  on  his  face,  and  did  obeisance.  And  David 
said,  "  Mephibosheth."  And  he  answered,  "  Behold  thy  ser- 
vant! "  And  Da\'id  said  unto  him,  "  Fear  not;  for  I  will  surely 
shev/  thee  kindness  for  Jonathan  thy  father's  sake,  and  will 
restore  thee  all  the  land  of  Saul  thy  father;  and  thou  shalt  eat 
bread  at  my  table  continually."  And  he  did  obeisance,  and 
said,  "  What  is  thy  servant,  that  thou  shouldest  look  upon  such 
a  dead  dog  as  I  am?  " 

Then  the  king  called  to  Ziba,  Saul's  servant,  and  said  unto 
him,  "  All  that  pertained  to  Saul  and  to  all  his  house  have  I 
given  unto  thy  master's  son.  And  thou  shalt  till  the  land  for 
him,  thou,  and  thy  sons,  and  thy  servants;  and  thou  shalt  bring 
in  the  fruits,  that  thy  master's  son  may  have  bread  to  eat:  but 
Mephibosheth,  thy  master's  son  shall  eat  bread  alway  at  my 
table." 

Now  Ziba  had  fifteen  sons  and  twenty  servants.  Then  said 
Ziba  unto  the  king,  "  According  to  all  that  my  lord,  the  king, 
commandeth  his  servant,  so  shall  thy  servant  do."  ''  As  for 
Mephibosheth,"  said  the  king,  "  he  shall  eat  at  my  table,  as  one 
of  the  king's  sons."  And  Mephibosheth  had  a  3^oung  son,  whose 
name  was  Mica.    And  all  that  dwelt  in  the  house  of  Ziba  were 


212  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

servants  unto  Mephibosheth.  So  Mephibosheth  dwelt  in  Jeru- 
salem: for  he  did  eat  continually  at  the  king's  table;  and  he 
was  lame  on  both  his  feet. 

And  it  came  to  pass  after  this,  that  the  king  of  the  children  of 
Ammon  died,  and  Hanun,  his  son,  reigned  in  his  stead.  And 
David  said,  "  I  will  shew  kindness  unto  Hanun,  the  son  of 
Nahash,  as  his  father  shewed  kindness  unto  me."  So  David 
sent  by  the  hand  of  his  servants  to  comfort  him  concerning  his 
father. 

And  David's  servants  came  into  the  land  of  the  children  of 
Ammon.  But  the  princes  of  the  children  of  Ammon  said  unto 
Hanun,  their  lord,  "  Thinkest  thou  that  David  doth  honour  thy 
father,  that  he  hath  sent  comforters  unto  thee?  Hath  not 
David  sent  his  servants  unto  thee  to  search  the  city,  and  to  spy 
it  out,  and  to  overthrow  it?  " 

So  Hanun  took  David's  servants,  and  shaved  off  the  one  half 
of  their  beards,  and  cut  off  their  garments  in  the  middle,  even 
to  their  buttocks,  and  sent  them  away.  When  they  told  it 
unto  David,  he  sent  to  meet  them;  for  the  men  were  greatly 
ashamed.  And  the  king  said,  "  Tarry  at  Jericho  until  your 
beards  be  grown,  and  then  return." 

And  when  the  children  of  Ammon  saw  that  they  were  become 
odious  to  David,  the  children  of  Ammon  sent  and  hired  the 
Syrians  of  Beth-rehob,  and  the  Syrians  of  Zobah,  twenty  thou- 
sand footmen,  and  the  king  of  Maacah  with  a  thousand  men,  and 
the  men  of  Tob  twelve  thousand  men. 

And  when  David  heard  of  it,  he  sent  Joab,  and  all  the  host  of 
the  mighty  men.  And  the  children  of  Ammon  came  out,  and 
put  the  battle  in  array,  at  the  entering  in  of  the  gate:  and  the 
Syrians  of  Zobah,  and  of  Rehob,  and  the  men  of  Tob  and  Maa- 
cah, were  by  themselves  in  the  field.  Now  when  Joab  saw  that 
the  battle  was  set  against  him  before  and  behind,  he  chose  of  all 
the  choice  men  of  Israel,  and  put  them  in  array  against  the 
Syrians:  and  the  rest  of  the  people  he  committed  into  the  hand 
of  Abishai,  his  brother,  and  he  put  them  in  array  against  the 
children  of  Ammon. 

And  he  said,  "  If  the  Syrians  be  too  strong  for  me,  then  thou 
shalt  help  me;  but  if  the  children  of  Ammon  be  too  strong  for 
thee,  then  I  will  come  and  help  thee.    Be  of  good  courage,  and 


SAMUEL  II  213 

let  us  play  the  men  for  our  people,  and  for  the  cities  of  our  God : 
and  Yahweh  do  that  which  seemeth  him  good." 

So  Joab  and  the  people  that  were  with  him  drew  nigh  unto  the 
battle  against  the  Syrians:  and  they  fled  before  him.  And 
when  the  children  of  Ammon  saw  that  the  Syrians  were  fled, 
they  likewise  fled  before  Abishai,  and  entered  into  the  city. 
Then  Joab  returned  from  the  children  of  Ammon,  and  came  to 
Jerusalem. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  at  the  return  of  the  year,  at  the  time  when 
kings  go  out  to  battle,  that  David  sent  Joab,  and  his  servants 
with  him,  and  all  Israel;  and  they  destroyed  the  children  of 
Ammon,  and  besieged  Rabbah. 

But  David  tanied  at  Jerusalem.  And  it  came  to  pass  at 
eventide,  that  David  arose  from  off  his  bed,  and  walked  upon  the 
roof  of  the  king's  house:  and  from  the  roof  he  saw  a  woman 
bathing;  and  the  woman  was  very  beautiful  to  look  upon.  And 
David  sent  and  inquired  after  the  woman.  And  one  said, 
"  Is  not  this  Bath-sheba,  the  daughter  of  EUam,  the  wife  of 
Uriah  the  Hittite?  " 

And  David  sent  messengers,  and  took  her;  and  she  came  in 
unto  him,  and  he  lay  with  her;  (for  she  was  purified  from  her 
uncleanness),  and  she  returned  unto  her  house.  And  the  woman 
conceived;  and  she  sent  and  told  David,  and  said,  ^'  I  am  with 
child." 

And  David  sent  to  Joab,  saying, ''  Send  me  Uriah  the  Hittite." 
And  Joab  sent  Uriah  to  Da\ad.  And  when  Uriah  was  come 
unto  him,  David  asked  of  him  how  Joab  did,  and  how  the  people 
fared,  and  how  the  war  prospered.  And  Da\id  said  to  Uriah, 
''  Go  down  to  thy  house,  and  wash  thy  feet." 

And  Uriah  departed  out  of  the  king's  house,  and  there  fol- 
lowed him  a  mess  of  meat  from  the  king.  But  Uriah  slept  at 
the  door  of  the  king's  house  with  aU  the  servants  of  his  lord,  and 
went  not  down  to  his  house.  And  when  they  told  David,  say- 
ing, "  Uriah  went  not  down  unto  his  house,"  David  said  unto 
Uriah,  "  Art  thou  not  come  from  a  journey?  Wherefore  didst 
thou  not  go  down  unto  thine  house?  "  And  Uriah  said  unto 
David,  "  The  ark,  and  Israel,  and  Judah,  abide  in  booths;  and 
my  lord  Joab,  and  the  servants  of  my  lord,  are  encamped  in  the 


214  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

open  field;  shall  I  tlien  go  into  mine  house,  to  eat  and  to  drink, 
and  to  lie  with  my  wife?  As  thou  livest,  and  as  thy  soul  liveth, 
I  Avill  not  do  this  thing."  And  David  said  to  Uriah,  '^  Tarry 
liere  today  also,  and  tomorrow  I  will  let  thee  depart." 

So  Uriah  abode  in  Jerusalem  that  day,  and  the  morrow.  And 
when  David  had  called  him,  he  did  eat  and  drink  before  him; 
and  he  made  him  drunk;  and  at  even  he  went  out  to  lie  on  his 
bed  with  the  servants  of  his  lord,  but  went  not  down  to  his 
house. 

And  it  came  to  pass  in  the  morning,  that  David  wrote  a  letter 
to  Joab,  and  sent  it  bj^  the  hand  of  Uriah.  And  he  wi'ote  in  the 
letter,  saying,  "  Set  ye  Uriah  in  the  forefront  of  the  hottest 
battle,  and  retire  ye  from  him,  that  he  may  be  smitten,  and  die." 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  Joab  kept  watch  upon  the  city, 
that  he  assigned  Uriah  unto  the  place  where  he  knew  that 
valiant  men  were.  And  the  men  of  the  city  went  out,  and  fought 
with  Joab :  and  there  fell  some  of  the  people,  even  of  the  servants 
of  David;  and  Uriah  the  Hittite  died  also. 

Then  Joab  sent  and  told  David  aU  the  things  concerning  the 
war;  and  he  charged  the  messenger,  saying,  "Wlien  thou  hast 
made  an  end  of  telling  all  the  things  concerning  the  war  unto  the 
king,  it  shall  be  that,  if  the  king's  wi'ath  arise,  and  he  say  unto 
thee,  "  Wherefore  went  ye  so  nigh  unto  the  city  to  fight?  Knew 
ye  not  that  they  would  shoot  from  the  wall?  Who  smote 
Abimelech,  the  son  of  Jerubbesheth?  Did  not  a  woman  cast 
an  upper  mill-stone  upon  him  from  the  wall,  that  he  died  at 
Thebez?  Why  went  ye  so  nigh  the  wall?  "  then  shalt  thou 
say,  "  Thy  servant  Uriah  the  Hittite  is  dead  also." 

So  the  messenger  went,  and  came  and  shewed  David  all  that 
Joab  had  sent  him  for.  And  the  messenger  said  unto  David, 
^'  The  men  prevailed  against  us,  and  came  out  unto  us  into  the 
field,  and  we  were  upon  them  even  unto  the  entering  of  the  gate. 
And  the  shooters  shot  at  thy  servants  from  the  wall;  and  some 
of  the  king's  servants  be  dead,  and  thy  servant  Uriah  the  Hittite 
is  dead  also." 

Then  David  said  unto  the  messenger,  "  Thus  shall  thou  say 
unto  Joab,  '  Let  not  this  thing  displease  thee,  for  the  sword 
devoureth  one  as  well  as  another:  make  thy  battle  more  strong 
against  the  city,  and  overthrow  it;  and  encourage  thou  him.'  " 


SAMUEL  II  215 

And  when  the  wife  of  Uriah  heard  that  Uriah  her  husl^aiid  was 
dead,  she  made  himentation  for  her  husband.  And  when  the 
mourning  was  past,  David  sent  and  took  her  home  to  his  house, 
and  slie  became  his  wife,  and  bare  hhn  a  son.  But  the  thing 
that  David  had  done  displeased  Yahweh. 

And  Yahweh  sent  Nathan  unto  David.  And  he  came  unto 
him,  and  said  unto  him,  "  There  were  two  men  in  one  city;  the 
one  rich,  and  the  other  poor.  The  rich  man  had  exceeding  many- 
flocks  and  herds:  but  the  poor  man  had  nothing,  save  one  little 
ewe  lamb,  which  he  had  bought  and  nourished  up:  and  it  grew 
up  together  with  him,  and  with  his  children;  it  did  eat  of  his 
own  morsel,  and  drank  of  his  own  cup,  and  lay  in  his  bosom,  and 
was  unto  him  as  a  daughter.  And  there  came  a  traveler  unto 
the  rich  man,  and  he  spared  to  take  of  his  own  flock  and  of  his 
own  herd,  to  dress  for  the  wayfaring  man  that  was  come  unto 
him,  but  took  the  poor  man's  lamb,  and  dressed  it  for  the  man 
that  was  come  to  him."  And  David's  anger  was  greatly  kindled 
against  the  man;  and  he  said  to  Nathan,  "  As  Yahweh  liveth, 
the  man  that  hath  done  this  is  worthy  to  die:  and  he  shall 
restore  the  lamb  fourfold,  because  he  did  this  thing,  and  because 
he  had  no  pity." 

And  Nathan  said  to  David,  ''  Thou  art  the  man.  Thus  saith 
Yahweh,  the  God  of  Israel,  *  I  anointed  thee  king  over  Israel, 
and  I  delivered  thee  out  of  the  hand  of  Saul;  and  I  gave  thee  thy 
master's  house,  and  thy  master's  wives  into  thy  bosom,  and 
gave  thee  the  house  of  Israel  and  of  Judah :  and  if  that  had  been 
too  little,  I  would  have  added  unto  thee  such  and  such  thmgs.' 
Vv^herefore  hast  thou  despised  the  word  of  Yahweh,  to  do  that 
which  is  evil  in  his  sight?  Thou  hast  smitten  Uriah  the  Hittite 
with  the  sword,  and  hast  taken  his  wife  to  be  thy  wife,  and  hast 
slain  him  with  the  sword  of  the  children  of  Amnion." 

And  David  said  unto  Nathan,  "  I  have  sinned  against  Yah- 
weh." And  Nathan  said  unto  Da^dd,  "  Yahweh  also  hath  put 
away  thy  sin;  thou  shalt  not  die.  Howbeit,  because  by  this 
deed  thou  hast  given  great  occasion  to  the  enemies  of  Yahweh 
to  bb^phemie,  the  child  also  that  is  born  unto  thee  shall  surel}^ 
die/^    And  Nathan  departed  unto  his  house. 


216  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

And  Yahweh  stmck  the  child  that  Uriah's  wife  bare  unto 
David,  and  it  was  very  sick.  David,  therefore,  besought  God 
for  the  child;  and  David  fasted,  and  went  in,  and  lay  all  night 
upon  the  earth.  And  the  elders  of  his  house  arose,  and  stood 
beside  him,  to  raise  him  up  from  the  earth :  but  he  would  not, 
neither  did  he  eat  bread  with  them.  And  it  came  to  pass  on  the 
seventh  day,  that  the  child  died.  And  the  servants  of  David 
feared  to  tell  him  that  the  child  was  dead:  for  they  said,  ''  Be- 
hold, while  the  child  was  yet  alive,  we  spake  unto  him,  and  he 
hearkened  not  unto  our  voice:  how  will  he  then  vex  himself,  if 
we  tell  him  that  the  child  is  dead?  " 

But  when  David  saw  that  his  servants  whispered  together, 
David  perceived  that  the  child  was  dead;  and  David  said  unto 
liis  servants, ''  Is  the  child  dead?  "  And  they  said,  "  He  is  dead." 
Then  David  arose  from  the  earth,  and  washed,  and  anointed 
himself,  and  changed  his  apparel;  and  he  came  into  the  house  of 
Yahweh,  and  worshipped :  then  he  came  to  his  own  house,  and 
when  he  required  they  set  bread  before  him,  and  he  did  eat. 

Then  said  his  servants  unto  him,  ''  Wliat  thing  is  this  that 
thou  hast  done?  Thou  didst  fast  and  weep  for  the  child,  while 
it  was  alive;  but  when  the  child  was  dead,  thou  didst  rise  and 
eat  bread."  And  he  said,  "  While  the  child  was  yet  alive,  I 
fasted  and  wept;  for  I  said,  'Who  knoweth  whether  Yahweh 
Avill  not  be  gracious  to  me,  that  the  child  may  live?  '  But  now 
he  is  dead,  wherefore  should  I  fast?  Can  I  bring  him  back 
again?    I  shall  go  to  him,  but  he  shall  not  return  to  me." 

And  David  comforted  Bath-sheba  his  wife,  and  went  in  unto 
her,  and  lay  with  her:  and  she  bare  a  son,  and  he  called  his 
name  Solomon.  And  Yahweh  loved  him:  and  he  sent  by  the 
hand  of  Nathan  the  prophet,  and  he  called  his  name  Jedidiah. 

Now  Joab  fought  against  Rabbah  of  the  cliildren  of  Ammon, 
and  took  the  royal  city.  And  Joab  sent  messengers  to  David, 
and  said,  "  I  have  fought  against  Rabbah,  yea,  I  have  taken 
the  city  of  waters.  Now  therefore  gather  the  rest  of  the  people 
together,  and  encamp  against  the  city,  and  take  it:  lest  I  take 
the  city,  and  it  be  called  after  my  name." 

And  Da\dd  gathered  all  the  people  together,  and  went  to 
Rabbah,  and  fought  against  it,  and  took  it.  And  he  took  the 
crown  of  their  king  from  off  his  head;   and  the  weight  thereof 


SAMUEL  II  217 

was  a  talent  of  gold,  and  in  it  were  precious  stones;  and  it  was 
set  on  David's  head.  And  he  brought  forth  the  spoil  of  the  city, 
exceeding  much.  And  he  brought  forth  the  people  that  were 
therein,  and  put  them  under  saws,  and  under  harrows  of  iron, 
and  under  axes  of  iron,  and  made  them  pass  through  the  brick- 
kiln: and  thus  did  he  unto  aU  the  cities  of  the  children  of  Ammon. 
And  David  and  all  the  people  returned  unto  Jerusalem. 

The  Story  of  Absalom 

And  it  came  to  pass  after  this,  that  Absalom,  the  son  of  David 
had  a  fair  sister,  whose  name  was  Tamar;  and  Ammon,  the  son 
of  David,  loved  her.  And  Ammon  was  so  vexed  that  he  fell  sick 
because  of  his  sister  Tamar,  for  she  was  a  virgin;  and  it  seemed 
hard  to  Ammon  to  do  anything  unto  her. 

But  Ammon  had  a  friend,  whose  name  was  Jonadab,  the  son 
of  Shimeah  David's  brother:  and  Jonadab  was  a  very  subtil 
man.  And  he  said  unto  him,  "  Why,  0  son  of  the  king,  art  thou 
thus  lean  from  day  to  day?  Wilt  thou  not  tell  me?  "  And 
Ammon  said  unto  him,  "  I  love  Tamar,  my  brother  Absalom's 
sister."  And  Jonadab  said  unto  him,  "  Lay  thee  down  on  thy 
bed,  and  feign  thyself  sick:  and  when  thy  father  cometh  to  see 
thee,  say  unto  him,  '  Let  my  sister  Tamar  come,  I  pray  thee, 
and  give  me  bread  to  eat,  and  dress  the  food  in  my  sight,  that  I 
may  see  it,  and  eat  it  at  her  hand.'  " 

So  Ammon  lay  down,  and  feigned  himself  sick:  and  when  the 
king  was  come  to  see  him,  Ammon  said  unto  the  king,  "  Let  my 
sister  Tamar  come,  I  pray  thee,  and  make  me  a  couple  of  cakes 
in  my  sight,  that  I  may  eat  at  her  hand."  Then  David  sent 
home  to  Tamar,  saying,  "  Go  now  to  thy  brother  Ammon's 
house,  and  dress  him  food." 

So  Tamar  went  to  her  brother  Ammon's  house :  and  he  was 
laid  down.  And  she  took  dough,  and  kneaded  it,  and  made 
cakes  in  his  sight,  and  did  bake  the  cakes.  And  she  took  the 
pan,  and  poured  them  out  before  him;  but  he  refused  to  eat. 
And  Ammon  said,  "  Have  out  all  men  from  me."  And  they  went 
out  every  man  from  him.  And  Ammon  said  unto  Tamar,  ''Bring 
the  food  into  the  chamber,  that  I  may  eat  out  of  thine  hand." 

And  Tamar  took  the  cakes  which  she  had  made,  and  brought 
them  into  the  chamber  to  Ammon,  her  brother.  And  when  she 
had  brought  them  near  him  to  eat,  he  took  hold  of  her,  and  said 


218  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

unto  her,  "  Come,  lie  with  me,  my  sister."  And  she  answered 
hun,  '^  Nay,  my  brother,  do  not  force  me;  for  no  such  thing 
ought  to  be  done  in  Israel:  do  not  thou  this  folly.  And  I, 
whither  shall  I  carry  my  shame?  And  as  for  thee,  thou  shalt  be 
as  one  of  the  fools  in  Israel.  Now  therefore,  I  pray  thee,  speak 
unto  the  king;  for  he  will  not  withhold  me  from  thee." 

Howbeit  he  would  not  hearken  unto  her  voice:  but  being 
stronger  than  she,  he  forced  her,  and  lay  with  her.  Then 
Ammon  hated  her  with  exceeding  great  hatred;  for  the  hatred 
wherewdth  he  hated  her  was  greater  than  the  love  wherewith  he 
had  loved  her.  And  Ammon  said  unto  her,  "  Arise,  be  gone." 
And  she  said  unto  him,  "  Not  so,  because  this  great  wrong  in 
putting  me  forth  is  worse  than  the  other  that  thou  didst  unto 
me."     But  he  would  not  hearken  unto  her. 

Then  he  called  his  servant  that  ministered  unto  him,  and  said, 
"  Put  now  this  woman  out  from  me,  and  bolt  the  door  after  her." 
And  she  had  a  garment  of  divers  colours  upon  her:  for 
with  such  robes  were  the  king's  daughters  that  were  virgins  ap- 
parelled. Then  his  servant  brought  her  out,  and  bolted  the  door 
after  her.  And  Tamar  put  ashes  on  her  head,  and  rent  her 
garment  of  divers  colours  that  was  on  her;  and  she  laid  her  hand 
on  her  head,  and  went  her  way,  crying  aloud  as  she  went. 

And  Absalom  her  brother  said  unto  her,  "  Hath  Ammon  thy 
brother  been  with  thee?  But  now  hold  thy  peace,  my  sister: 
he  is  thy  brother;  take  not  this  thing  to  heart."  So  Tamar 
remained  desolate  in  her  brother  Absalom's  house. 

But  when  king  Da\dd  heard  of  all  these  things,  he  was  very 
wroth.  And  Absalom  spake  unto  Ammon  neither  good  nor  bad: 
for  Absalom  hated  Ammon,  because  he  had  forced  his  sister 
Tamar. 

And  it  came  to  pass  after  two  full  years,  that  Absalom  had 
sheep-shearers  in  Baal-hazor,  which  is  beside  Ephraim:  and 
Absalom  invited  all  the  king's  sons.  And  Absalom  came  to  the 
king,  and  said,  "  Behold  now,  thy  servant  hath  sheepshearers ; 
let  the  king,  I  pray  thee,  and  his  servants  go  with  thy  servant. 
And  the  king  said  to  Absalom,  ''  Nay,  my  son,  let  us  not  all  go, 
lest  we  be  burdensome  unto  thee."  And  he  pressed  him:  how- 
beit he  would  not  go,  but  blessed  him. 

Then  said  Absalom,  "  If  not,  I  pray  thee,  let  my  brother 


SAMUEL  II  219 

Ammon  go  with  us."  And  the  king  said  unto  him,  "  Why  should 
he  go  with  thee?  "  But  Absalom  pressed  him,  that  he  let  Am- 
mon and  all  the  king's  sons  go  with  him. 

And  Absalom  commanded  his  servants,  saying,  ''  Mark  ye 
nov/,  when  Ammon's  heart  is  merry  with  wine;  and  when  I  say 
unto  you,  '  Smite  Ammon,' then  kill  him,  fear  not:  have  not  I 
commanded  you?  Be  courageous,  and  be  valiant." 

And  the  servants  of  Absalom  did  unto  Ammon  as  Absalom  had 
commanded. 

Then  all  the  king's  sons  arose,  and  every  man  gat  him  up  upon 
his  mule,  and  fled. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  while  they  were  in  the  way,  that  the 
tidings  came  to  David,  saying,  "  Absalom  hath  slain  all  the  king's 
sons,  and  there  is  not  one  of  them  left."  Then  the  king  arose, 
and  rent  his  garments,  and  lay  on  the  earth;  and  all  his  servants 
stood  by  with  their  clothes  rent. 

And  Jonadab,  the  son  of  Shimeah  DaAdd's  brother,  answered 
and  said,  "  Let  not  my  lord  suppose  that  they  have  killed  all  the 
young  men,  the  king's  sons;  for  Ammon  only  is  dead:  for  by  the 
appointment  of  Absalom  this  hath  been  determined  from  the 
day  that  he  forced  his  sister  Tamar .  Now  therefore  let  not  my  lord 
the  king  take  the  thing  to  his  heart,  to  think  that  all  the  king's 
sons  are  dead:  for  Ammon  only  is  dead.    But  Absalom  fled." 

And  the  j^oung  man  that  kept  the  w^atch  lifted  up  his  eyes,  and 
looked,  and  behold,  there  came  much  people  by  the  w^ay  of  the 
hill  side  behind  him. 

And  Jonadab  said  unto  the  king,  "  Behold,  the  king's  sons  are 
come:  as  thy  servant  said,  so  it  is."  And  it  came  to  pass,  as 
soon  as  he  had  made  an  end  of  speaking,  that,  behold,  the  king's 
sons  came,  and  lifted  up  their  voice,  and  wept :  and  the  king  also 
and  all  his  servants  wept  very  sore.  But  Absalom  fled,  and  went 
to  Talmai,  the  son  of  Ammihur,  king  of  Geshur.  And  David 
mourned  for  his  son  every  day. 

So  Absalom  fled,  and  went  to  Geshur,  and  was  there  three 
years.  And  the  soul  of  king  David  longed  to  go  forth  unto 
Absalom:  for  he  was  comforted  concerning  Ammon,  seeing  he 
was  dead. 

Now  Joab  the  son  of  Zeruiah  perceived  that  the  king's  heart 
was  toward  Absalom.    And  Joab  sent  to  Takoa,  and  fetched 


220  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

thence  a  wise  woman,  and  said  unto  her,  "  I  pray  thee,  feign 
thyself  to  be  a  mourner,  and  put  on  mourning  apparel,  I  pray 
thee,  and  anoint  not  thyself  with  oil,  but  be  as  a  woman  that  had 
a  long  time  mourned  for  the  dead:  and  go  in  to  the  king,  and 
speak  on  this  manner  unto  him."  So  Joab  put  the  words  in  her 
mouth. 

And  when  the  woman  of  Tekoa  spake  to  the  king,  she  fell  on 
her  face  to  the  ground,  and  did  obeisance,  and  said,  ''  Help,  0 
king."  And  the  king  said  unto  her,  "  AVhat  aileth  thee?" 
And  she  answered,  ''  Of  a  truth  I  am  a  widow  woman,  and  mine 
husband  is  dead.  And  thy  handmaid  had  two  sons,  and  they  two 
strove  together  in  the  field,  and  there  was  none  to  part  them,  but 
the  one  smote  the  other,  and  killed  him.  And,  behold,  the  whole 
family  is  risen  against  thine  handmaid,  and  they  said,  *  Deliver 
him  that  smote  his  brother,  that  we  may  kill  him  for  the  life  of 
his  brother  whom  he  slew,  and  so  destroy  the  heir  also  ';  thus 
shall  they  quench  my  coal  which  is  left,  and  shall  leave  to  my 
husband  neither  name  nor  remainder  upon  the  face  of  the 
earth." 

And  the  king  said  unto  the  woman,  "  Go  to  thine  house  and  I 
will  give  charge  concerning  thee."  And  the  woman  of  Tekoa 
said  unto  the  king,  ''  My  lord,  0  king,  the  iniquity  be  on  me,  and 
on  my  father's  house:  and  the  king  and  his  throne  be  guiltless." 
And  the  king  said,  "  Whosoever  saith  aught  unto  thee,  bring 
him  to  me,  and  he  shall  not  touch  thee  any  more." 

Then  said  she,  "  I  pray  thee,  let  the  king  remember  Yahweh 
thy  God,  that  the  avenger  of  blood  destroy  not  any  more,  lest 
they  destroy  my  son."  And  he  said,  "  As  Yahweh  Uveth,  there 
shall  not  one  hair  of  thy  son  fall  to  the  earth." 

Then  the  woman  said,  ''  Let  thine  handmaid,  I  pray  thee, 
speak  a  word  unto  my  lord  the  king."  And  he  said,  "  Say  on." 
And  the  woman  said,  "  Wherefore  then  hast  thou  devised  such 
thing  against  the  people  of  God?  For  in  speaking  this  word 
the  king  is  as  one  which  is  guilty,  in  that  the  king  doth  not  fetch 
home  again  his  banished  one.  For  we  must  needs  die,  and  are 
as  water  spilt  on  the  ground,  which  cannot  be  gathered  up  again; 
neither  doth  God  take  away  life,  but  deviseth  means,  that  he 
that  is  banished  be  not  an  outcast  from  him.  Now  therefore 
seeing  that  I  am  come  to  speak  this  word  unto  my  lord  the  king 


SAMUEL  II  221 

it  is  because  the  people  have  made  me  afraid :  and  thy  handmaid 
said,  '  I  will  now  speak  unto  the  king:  it  may  be  that  the  king 
will  perform  the  request  of  his  servant.  For  the  king  will  hear, 
to  deliver  his  servant  out  of  the  hand  of  the  man  that  would 
destroy  me  and  my  son  together  out  of  the  inheritance  of  God.' 
Then  thine  handmaid  said,  '  Let,  I  pray  thee,  the  word  of  my 
lord  the  king  be  comfortable:  for  as  an  angel  of  God,  so  is  my 
lord  the  king  to  discern  good  and  bad  ' :  and  Yahweh  th}^  God 
be  with  thee." 

Then  the  king  answered  and  said  unto  the  woman,  "  Hide 
not  from  me,  I  pray  thee,  aught  that  I  shall  ask  thee."  And  the 
woman  said,  "  Let  my  lord  the  king  now  speak."  And  the  king 
said,  "  Is  the  hand  of  Joab  with  thee  in  all  this?  "  And  the 
woman  answered  and  said,  "  As  thy  soul  liveth,  my  lord  the 
king,  none  can  turn  to  the  right  hand  or  to  the  left  from  aught 
that  my  lord  the  king  hath  spoken:  for  thy  servant  Joab,  he 
bade  me,  and  he  put  all  these  words  in  the  mouth  of  thine  hand- 
maid: to  change  the  face  of  the  matter  hath  thy  servant  Joab 
done  this  thing:  and  my  lord  is  wise,  according  to  the  wisdom  of 
an  angel  of  God,  to  know  all  things  that  are  in  the  earth." 

And  the  king  said  unto  Joab,  "  Behold  now,  I  have  done  this 
thing:  go  therefore,  bring  the  young  man  Absalom  again." 
And  Joab  fell  to  the  ground  on  his  face,  and  did  obeisance,  and 
blessed  the  king:  and  Joab  said,  "  Today  thy  servant  knoweth 
that  I  have  found  grace  in  thy  sight,  my  lord,  0  king,  in  that  the 
king  hath  performed  the  request  of  his  servant." 

So  Joab  arose  and  went  to  Geshur,  and  brought  Absalom  to 
Jerusalem.  And  the  king  said,  ''  Let  him  turn  to  his  own  house, 
but  let  him  not  see  my  face."  So  Absalom  turned  to  his  own 
house,  and  saw  not  the  king's  face. 

And  Absalom  dwelt  two  full  years  in  Jerusalem;  and  he  saw 
not  the  king's  face.  Then  Absalom  sent  for  Joab,  to  send  him  to 
the  king;  but  he  would  not  come  to  him:  and  he  sent  again  a 
second  time,  but  he  would  not  come.  Therefore  he  said  unto 
his  servants,  "  See,  Joab's  field  is  near  mine,  and  he  hath  barley 
there;  go  and  set  it  on  fire."  And  Absalom's  servants  set  the 
field  on  fire.  Then  Joab  arose,  and  came  to  Absalom  unto  his 
house,  and  said  unto  him,  "  Wherefore  have  the  servants  set  my 
field  on  fire?  "    And  Absalom  answered  Joab,  "  Behold,  I  sent 


222  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

unto  thee,  saying,  '  Come  hither,  that  I  may  send  thee  to  the 
king,  to  say,  "  Wherefore  am  I  come  from  Geshur?  It  were 
better  for  me  to  be  there  still "  ':  now,  therefore,  let  me  see  the 
king's  face;  and  if  there  be  iniquity  in  me,  let  him  kill  me." 
So  Joab  came  to  the  king  and  told  him;  and  when  he  had  called 
for  Absalom,  he  came  to  the  king,  and  bowed  himself  on  his  face 
to  the  ground  before  the  king:  and  the  king  kissed  Absalom. 

And  it  came  to  pass  after  this,  that  Absalom  prepared  him  a 
chariot  and  horses,  and  fifty  men  to  run  before  him.  And 
Absalom  rose  up  early,  and  stood  beside  the  way  of  the  gate: 
and  it  was  so,  that  when  any  man  had  a  suit  which  should  come 
to  the  king  for  judgment,  then  Absalom  called  unto  him,  and 
said,  "  Of  what  city  art  thou?  "  And  he  said,  "  Thy  servant  is  of 
one  of  the  tribes  of  Israel."  And  Absalom  said  unto  him,  "  See, 
thy  matters  are  good  and  right;  but  there  is  no  man  deputed 
of  the  king  to  hear  thee."  Absalom  said  moreover,  "  Oh  that  I 
were  made  judge  in  the  land,  that  every  man  which  hath  any 
suit  or  cause  might  come  unto  me,  and  I  would  do  him  justice!  " 
And  it  was  so,  that  when  any  man  came  nigh  to  do  him  obei- 
sance, he  put  forth  his  hand,  and  took  hold  of  him,  and  kissed 
him.  And  on  this  manner  did  Absalom  to  all  Israel  that  came  to 
the  king  for  judgment:  so  Absalom  stole  the  hearts  of  the  men  of 
Israel. 

And  it  came  to  pass  at  the  end  of  four  years,  that  Absalom 
said  unto  the  king,  "  I  pray  thee,  let  me  go  and  pay  my  vow, 
which  I  have  vowed  unto  Yahweh,  in  Hebron.  For  thy  servant 
vowed  a  vow  while  I  abode  at  Geshur  in  Syria,  saying,  "  If 
Yahweh  shall  indeed  bring  me  again  to  Jerusalem,  then  I  will 
serve  Yahweh."     And  the  king  said  unto  him,  "  Go  in  peace." 

So  he  arose,  and  went  to  Plebron.  But  Absalom  sent  spies 
through  all  the  tribes  of  Israel,  saying,  "  As  soon  as  ye  hear  the 
sound  of  the  trumpet,  then  ye  shall  say,  "  Absalom  is  king  in 
Hebron."  And  with  Absalom  went  two  hundred  men  out  of 
Jerusalem,  that  were  invited,  and  went  in  their  simplicity; 
and  they  knew  not  any  thing.  And  Absalom  sent  for  Ahithophel 
the  Gilonite,  David's  counsellor,  from  his  city,  even  from  Giloh, 
while  he  offered  the  sacrifices.  And  the  conspiracy  was  strong; 
for  the  people  increased  continuallj'-  with  Absalom. 

And  there  came  a  messenger  to  David,  saying,  ''  The  hearts  of 


SAMUEL  II  223 

the  men  of  Israel  are  after  Absalom."  Aiid  David  said  unto  all 
his  servants  that  were  with  him  at  Jerusalem,  '*  Arise,  and  let 
us  flee;  for  else  none  of  us  shall  escape  from  Absalom:  make 
speed  to  depart,  lest  he  overtake  us  quickly,  and  bring  down  e'V'il 
upon  us,  and  smite  the  city  with  the  edge  of  the  sword."  And 
the  king's  servants  said  unto  the  king,  "  Behold,  thy  servants  are 
ready  to  do  whatsoever  my  lord  the  king  shall  choose." 

And  the  king  went  forth,  and  all  his  household  after  him. 
And  the  king  left  ten  women  which  were  concubines,  to  keep  the 
house.  And  the  king  went  forth,  and  all  the  people  after  him; 
and  they  tarried  in  Beth-merhak.  And  all  his  servants  passed 
on  beside  him;  and  all  the  Cherethites,  and  all  the  Pelethites, 
and  all  the  Gittites,  six  hundred  men  which  came  after  him  from 
Gath,  passed  on  before  the  king. 

Then  said  the  king  to  Ittai  the  Gittite,  "  Wherefore  goest 
thou  also  with  us?  Return,  and  abide  \vith  the  king:  for  thou 
art  a  stranger,  and  also  an  exile;  return  to  thine  own  place. 
Whereas  thou  camest  but  yesterday,  should  I  this  day  make  thee 
go  up  and  down  with  us,  seeing  I  go  whither  I  may?  Return 
thou,  and  take  back  thy  brethren;  mercy  and  truth  be  with 
thee." 

And  Ittai  answered  the  king,  and  said,  ''  As  Yahweh  liveth, 
and  as  my  lord  the  king  liveth,  surely  in  what  place  my  lord 
the  king  shall  be,  whether  for  death  or  for  life,  even  there  also 
will  thy  servant  be."  And  Da^dd  said  to  Ittai,  "  Go  and  pass 
over." 

And  Ittai,  the  Gittite  passed  over,  and  all  his  men,  and  all  the 
little  ones  that  were  with  him.  And  all  the  country  wept  witli 
a  loud  voice,  and  all  the  people  passed  over :  the  king  also  him- 
self passed  over  the  brook  Kidron,  and  all  the  people  passed 
over,  toward  the  way  of  the  wilderness. 

And,  lo,  Zadok  also  came,  and  all  the  Levites  with  him,  bear- 
ing the  ark  of  the  covenant  of  God;  and  they  set  down  the  ark  of 
God,  and  Abiathar  went  up,  until  all  the  people  had  done  passing 
out  of  the  cit3\  And  the  king  said  unto  Zadok,  "  Carry  back 
the  ark  of  God  into  the  city :  if  I  shall  find  favour  in  the  eyes  of 
Yahweh,  he  will  bring  me  again,  and  shew  me  both  it,  and  his 
habitation :  but  if  he  say  thus,  '  I  have  no  delight  in  thee ' ; 
behold,  here  am  I,  let  him  do  to  me  as  seemeth  good  unto  him." 


224  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

The  king  said  also  unto  Zadok,  the  priest,  "  Art  thou  not  a 
seer?  Return  into  the  city  in  peace,  and  your  two  sons  with 
you,  Ahimaaz  thy  son,  and  Jonathan,  the  son  of  Abiathar.  See, 
I  will  tarry  at  the  fords  of  the  wilderness,  until  there  come  word 
from  you  to  certify  me."  Zadok  therefore  and  Abiathar  carried 
the  ark  of  God  again  to  Jerusalem:  and  they  abode  there. 

And  David  went  up  by  the  ascent  of  the  mount  of  Olives,  and 
wept  as  he  went  up;  and  he  had  his  head  covered,  and  went  bare- 
foot: and  all  the  people  that  were  with  him  covered  every  man 
his  head,  and  they  went  up,  weeping  as  they  went  up. 

And  one  told  David,  saying,  "  Ahithophel  is  among  the  con- 
spirators with.  Absalom."  And  David  said,  "  0  Yahweh,  I 
pray  thee,  turn  the  counsel  of  Aliithophel  into  foolishness." 
And  it  came  to  pass,  that  when  David  was  come  to  the  top  of  the 
ascent,  where  God  was  worshipped,  behold,  "  Hushai,the  Archite, 
came  to  meet  him  ^ath  his  coat  rent,  and  earth  upon  his  head: 
and  David  said  unto  him,  "  If  thou  passest  on  with  me,  then 
thou  shalt  be  a  burden  unto  me:  but  if  thou  return  to  the  city, 
and  say  unto  Absalom,  '  I  will  be  thy  servant,  0  king;  as  I 
have  been  thy  father's  servant  in  time  past,  so  will  I  now  be  thy 
servant ' :  then  shalt  thou  defeat  for  me  the  counsel  of  Ahithophel. 
And  hast  thou  not  there  with  thee  Zadok  and  Abiathar,  the 
priests?  Therefore  it  shall  be,  that  what  thing  soever  thou 
shalt  hear  out  of  the  king's  house,  thou  shalt  tell  it  to  Zadok 
and  Abiathar,  the  priests.  Behold,  thej^  have  there  with  them 
their  two  sons,  Ahimaaz,  Zadok's  son,  and  Jonathan,  Abiathar's 
son;  and  by  them  he  shall  send  unto  me  every  thing  that  ye 
shall  hear."  So  Hushai,  David's  friend  came  into  the  city;  and 
Absalom  came  into  Jerusalem. 

And  when  David  was  a  little  past  the  top  of  the  ascent,  behold, 
Ziba  the  servant  of  Mephibosheth  met  him,  wdth  a  couple  of 
asses  saddled,  and  upon  them  two  hundred  loaves  of  bread,  and 
an  hundred  clusters  of  raisins,  and  an  hundred  of  summer  fruits, 
and  a  bottle  of  wine. 

And  the  king  said  unto  Ziba,  "  ^Miat  meanest  thou  by  these?" 
And  Ziba  said,  "  The  asses  be  for  the  king's  household  to  ride 
on;  and  the  bread  and  summer  fruit  for  the  j^oung  men  to  eat; 
and  the  wine,  that  such  as  be  faint  in  the  wilderness  may  drink." 
And  the  king  said,  ''  And  where  is  thy  master's  son?  "    And 


SAMUEL  II  225 

Ziba  said  unto  the  king,  "  Behold,  he  abideth  at  Jerusalem:  for 
he  said,  '  Today  shall  the  house  of  Israel  restore  me  the  kingdom 
of  my  father.'  "  Then  said  the  king  to  Ziba,  "  Behold,  thine  is  all 
that  pertaineth  unto  Mephibosheth."  And  Ziba  said,  "  I  do 
obeisance;  let  me  find  favour  in  thy  sight,  my  lord,  0  king." 

And  when  king  David  came  to  Bahurim,  behold,  there  came 
out  thence  a  man  of  the  family  of  the  house  of  Saul,  whose  name 
was  Shimei,  the  son  of  Gera;  he  came  out,  and  cursed  still  as  he 
came.  And  he  cast  stones  at  David,  and  at  all  the  servants  of 
king  David :  and  all  the  people  and  all  the  mighty  men  were  on  his 
right  hand  and  on  his  left. 

And  thus  said  Shimei  when  he  cursed,  "  Begone,  begone,  thou 
man  of  blood,  and  man  of  Belial:  Yahweh  hath  returned 
upon  thee  all  the  blood  of  the  house  of  Saul,  in  whose  stead  thou 
hast  reigned;  and  Yahweh  hath  delivered  the  kingdom  into  the 
hand  of  Absalom,  thy  son:  and,  behold,  thou  art  taken  in  thine 
own  mischief,  because  thou  art  a  man  of  blood." 

Then  said  Abishai,  the  son  of  Zeruiah,  unto  the  king,  "  WTiy 
should  this  dead  dog  curse  my  lord  the  king?  Let  me  go  over, 
I  pray  thee,  and  take  off  his  head." 

And  the  king  said,  "  What  have  I  to  do  with  you,  ye  sons  of 
Zeruiah?  Because  he  curseth,  and  because  Yahweh  hath  said 
unto  him,  '  Curse  David  ' ;  who  then  shall  say,  '  Wherefore  hast 
thou  done  so?  '  And  David  said  to  Abishai,  and  to  all  his 
servants,  '  Behold,  my  son,  which  came  forth  of  my  bowels, 
seeketh  my  life:  how  much  more  may  this  Benjamite  now  do 
it?  '  Let  him  alone,  and  let  him  curse;  for  Yahweh  hath  bid- 
den him.  It  may  be  that  Yahweh  will  look  on  the  wrong  done 
unto  me,  and  that  Yahweh  will  requite  me  good  for  his  cursing 
of  me  this  day." 

So  David  and  his  men  went  by  the  way;  and  Shimei  went 
along  on  the  hillside  over  against  him,  and  cursed  as  he  went,  and 
threw  stones  at  him,  and  cast  dust.  And  the  king,  and  all  the 
people  that  were  with  him,  came  weary:  and  he  refreshed  him- 
self there. 

And  Absalom,  and  all  the  people  the  men  of  Israel,  came  to 
Jerusalem,  and  Ahithophel  with  him.  And  it  came  to  pass, 
when  Hushai,  the  Archite,  David's  friend,  was  come  unto  Absa- 
lom, that  Hushai  said  unto  Absalom,  "  God  save  the  king,  God 


226  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

save  the  king."  And  Absalom  said  to  Hushai,  "  Is  this  thy  kind- 
ness to  thy  friend?  Wliy  wentest  thou  not  with  thy  friend?  " 
And  Hushai  said  unto  Absalom,  "  Nay;  but  whom  Yahweh, 
and  this  people,  and  all  the  men  of  Israel  have  chosen,  his  will  I 
be,  and  with  him  will  I  abide.  And  again,  whom  should  I  serve? 
Should  I  not  serve  in  the  presence  of  his  son?  As  I  have  served 
in  thy  father's  presence,  so  will  I  be  in  thy  presence." 

Then  said  Absalom  to  Ahithophel,  "  Give  your  counsel  what 
we  shall  do."  And  Aliithophel  said  unto  Absalom,  "  Go  in 
unto  thy  father's  concubines,  which  he  hath  left  to  keep  the 
house;  and  all  Israel  shall  hear  that  thou  art  abhorred  of  thy 
father:  then  shall  the  hands  of  all  that  are  with  thee  be  strong." 
So  they  spread  Absalom  a  tent  upon  the  top  of  the  house;  and 
Absalom  went  in  unto  his  father's  concubines  in  the  sight  of  all 
Israel.  And  the  counsel  of  Ahithophel,  which  he  counselled  in 
those  days,  was  as  if  a  man  inquired  at  the  oracle  of  God:  so 
was  all  the  counsel  of  Ahithophel  both  with  David  and  with 
Absalom. 

Moreover,  Ahithophel  said  unto  Absalom,  '^  Let  me  now  choose 
out  twelve  thousand  men,  and  I  will  arise  and  pursue  after  David 
this  night :  and  I  will  come  upon  him  while  he  is  weary  and  weak 
handed,  and  will  make  him  afraid:  and  all  the  people  that  are 
with  him  shall  flee;  and  I  will  smite  the  king  only:  and  I  will 
bring  back  all  the  people  unto  thee :  the  man  whom  thou  seekest 
is  as  if  all  returned:  so  all  the  people  shall  be  in  peace."  And 
the  saying  pleased  Absalom  well,  and  all  the  elders  of  Israel. 

Then  said  Absalom,  "  Call  now  Hushai,  the  Archite  also,  and 
let  us  hear  likewise  what  he  saith."  And  when  Hushai  was  come 
to  Absalom,  Absalom  spake  unto  him,  saying,  "  Ahithophel 
hath  spoken  after  this  manner:  shall  we  do  after  his  saying? 
If  not,  speak  thou."  And  Hushai  said  unto  Absalom,  "  The 
counsel  that  Ahithophel  hath  given  this  time  is  not  good." 

Hushai  said  moreover,  "  Thou  knowest  thy  father  and  his 
men,  that  they  be  mightj^  men,  and  they  be  chafed  in  their 
minds,  as  a  bear  robbed  of  her  whelps  in  the  field :  and  thy  father 
is  a  man  of  war,  and  will  not  lodge  with  the  people.  Behold, 
he  is  hid  now  in  some  pit,  or  in  some  other  place :  and  it  will  come 
to  pass,  when  some  of  them  be  fallen  at  the  first,  that  whatsoever 
heareth  it  will  say,  '  There  is  a  slaughter  among  the  people  that 


SAMUEL  II  227 

follow  Absalom.'  And  even  he  that  is  valiant,  whose  heart  is  as 
the  heart  of  a  lion,  shall  utterly  melt:  for  all  Israel  knoweth  that 
thy  father  is  a  mighty  man,  and  they  which  be  with  him  are 
valiant  men.  But  I  counsel  that  all  Israel  be  gathered  together 
unto  thee,  from  Dan  even  to  Beer-sheba,  as  the  sand  that  is  by 
the  sea  for  multitude;  and  that  thou  go  to  battle  in  thine  own 
person.  So  shall  we  come  upon  him  in  some  place  where  he  shall 
be  found,  and  we  will  light  upon  him  as  the  dew  falleth  on  the 
ground:  and  of  him  and  of  all  the  men  that  are  with  him  we 
will  not  leave  so  much  as  one.  Moreover,  if  he  be  gotten  into 
a  city,  then  shall  all  Israel  bring  ropes  to  that  city,  and  we  will 
draw  it  into  the  river,  until  there  be  not  one  small  stone  found 
there." 

And  Absalom  and  all  the  men  of  Israel  said,  ''  The  counsel  of 
Hushai,  the  Archite,  is  better  than  the  counsel  of  Ahithophel." 
For  Yahweh  had  ordained  to  defeat  the  good  counsel  of  Ahitho- 
phel,  to  the  intent  that  Yahweh  might  bring  evil  upon  Absalom. 

Then  said  Hushai  unto  Zadok  and  to  Abiathar,  the  priests, 
"  Thus  and  thus  did  Ahithophel  counsel  Absalom  and  the  elders 
of  Israel;  and  thus  and  thus  have  I  counselled.  Now  there- 
fore send  quickly,  and  tell  David,  saying,  '  Lodge  not  this 
night  at  the  fords  of  the  wilderness,  but  in  any  wise  pass  over; 
lest  the  king  be  swallowed  up,  and  all  the  people  that  are  with 
him.'  " 

Now  Jonathan  and  Ahimaaz  stayed  by  En-rogel ;  and  a  maid- 
servant used  to  go  and  tell  them;  and  they  went  and  told  king 
David :  for  they  might  not  be  seen  to  come  into  the  city.  But 
a  lad  saw  them,  and  told  Absalom :  and  they  went  both  of  them 
away  quickly,  and  came  to  the  house  of  a  man  in  Bahurim,  who 
had  a  well  in  his  court;  and  they  went  down  thither.  And  the 
woman  took  and  spread  the  covering  over  the  well's  mouth,  and 
strewed  bruised  corn  thereon;  and  nothing  was  known.  And 
Absalom's  servants  came  to  the  woman  to  the  house;  and  they 
said,  "  Where  are  Ahimaaz  and  Jonathan?  "  And  the  woman 
said  unto  them,  "  They  be  gone  over  the  brook  of  w^ater." 

And  when  they  had  sought  and  could  not  find  them,  they  re- 
turned to  Jerusalem.  And  it  came  to  pass,  after  they  were  de- 
parted, that  they  came  up  out  of  the  well,  and  went  and  told  king 
David;  and  they  said  unto  David,  "  Arise  ye,  and  pass  quickly 


228  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

over  the  water:  for  thus  hath  Ahithophel  counselled  against 
you." 

Then  David  arose,  and  all  the  people  that  were  with  him,  and 
they  passed  over  Jordan :  by  the  morning  light  there  lacked  not 
one  of  them  that  was  not  gone  over  Jordan. 

And  when  Ahithophel  saw  that  his  counsel  was  not  followed, 
he  saddled  his  ass,  and  arose,  and  gat  him  home,  unto  his  city, 
and  set  his  house  in  order,  and  hanged  himself;  and  he  died,  and 
was  buried  in  the  sepulchre  of  his  father. 

Then  David  came  to  Mahanaim.  And  Absalom  passed  over 
Jordan,  he  and  all  the  men  of  Israel  with  him.  And  Absalom 
set  Amasa  over  the  host  instead  of  Joab.  Now  Amasa  was 
the  son  of  a  man,  whose  name  was  Ithra,  the  Israelite,  that  went 
in  to  Abigail  the  daughter  of  Nahash,  sister  to  Zeruiah,  Joab's 
mother.    And  Israel  and  Absalom  pitched  in  the  land  of  Gilead. 

And  it  came  to  pass,  when  David  was  come  to  Mahanaim, 
that  Shobi,  the  son  of  Nahash  of  Rabbah  of  the  children  of 
Ammon,  and  Machir,  the  son  of  Ammiel  of  Lo-debar,  and  Bar- 
zillai,  the  Gileadite  of  Rogelim,  brought  beds,  and  basons,  and 
earthen  vessels,  and  wheat,  and  barley,  and  meal,  and  parched 
corn,  and  beans,  and  lentils,  and  parched  pulse,  and  honey,  and 
butter,  and  sheep,  and  cheese  of  kine,  for  David,  and  for  the 
people  that  were  with  him,  to  eat:  for  they  said,  "  The  people  is 
hungry,  and  weary,  and  thirsty,  in  the  wilderness." 

And  David  numbered  the  people  that  were  with  him,  and  set 
captains  of  thousands  and  captains  of  hundreds  over  them.  And 
David  sent  forth  the  people,  a  third  part  under  the  hand  of 
Joab,  and  a  third  part  under  the  hand  of  Abishai,  the  son  of 
Zeruiah,  Joab's  brother,  and  a  third  part  under  the  hand  of 
Ittai  the  Gittite. 

And  the  king  said  unto  the  people,  "  I  will  surely  go  forth 
with  you  myself  also."  But  the  people  said,  "  Thou  shalt  not 
go  forth:  for  if  we  flee  away,  they  will  not  care  for  us;  neither 
if  half  of  us  die,  will  they  care  for  us:  but  thou  art  worth  ten 
thousand  of  us:  therefore,  now  it  is  better  that  thou  be  ready  to 
succour  us  out  of  the  citJ^"  And  the  king  said  unto  them, 
"  What  seemeth  you  best  I  will  do." 

And  the  king  stood  by  the  gate  side,  and  all  the  people  went 
out  by  hundreds  and  by  thousands.    And  the  king  commanded 


SAMUEL  II  229 

Joab  and  Abishai  and  Ittai,  saying,  "  Deal  gently  for  my  sake 
with  the  young  man,  even  with  Absalom."  And  all  the  people 
heard  when  the  king  gave  all  the  captains  charge  concerning 
Absalom. 

So  the  people  went  out  into  the  field  against  Israel:  and  the 
battle  was  in  the  forest  of  Ephraim.  And  the  people  of  Israel 
were  smitten  there  before  the  servants  of  David,  and  there  was 
a  great  slaughter  there  that  day  of  twenty  thousand  men.  For 
the  battle  was  there  spread  over  the  face  of  all  the  country: 
and  the  forest  devoured  more  people  that  day  than  the  sword 
devoured. 

And  Absalom  chanced  to  meet  the  servants  of  Da\T[d.  And 
Absalom  rode  upon  his  mule,  and  the  mule  went  under  the  thick 
boughs  of  a  great  oak,  and  his  head  caught  hold  of  the  oak,  and 
he  was  taken  up  between  the  heaven  and  the  earth;  and  the 
mule  that  was  under  him  went  on. 

And  a  certain  man  saw  it,  and  told  Joab,  and  said,  "  Behold, 
I  saw  Absalom  hanging  in  an  oak."  And  Joab  said  unto  the 
man  that  told  him,  "  And,  behold,  thou  sawest  it,  and  why  didst 
thou  not  smite  him  there  to  the  ground?  And  I  would  have 
given  thee  ten  pieces  of  silver,  and  a  girdle."  And  the  man  said 
unto  Joab,  "  Though  I  should  receive  a  thousand  pieces  of  silver 
in  mine  hand,  yet  would  I  not  put  forth  mine  hand  against  the 
king's  son :  for  in  our  hearing  the  king  charged  thee  and  Abishai 
and  Ittai,  sajdng,  '  Beware  that  none  touch  the  young  man 
Absalom.'  Other^dse  if  I  had  dealt  falsely  against  his  life 
(and  there  is  no  matter  hid  from  the  king),  then  thou  thyself 
wouldest  have  stood  aloof."  Then  said  Joab,  "  I  may  not  tarry 
thus  with  thee." 

And  he  took  three  darts  in  his  hand,  and  thrust  them  through 
the  heart  of  Absalom,  while  he  was  yet  alive  in  the  midst  of  the 
oak.  And  ten  young  men  that  bare  Joab's  armour  compassed 
about  and  smote  Absalom,  and  slew  him.  And  Joab  blew  the 
trumpet,  and  the  people  returned  from  pursuing  after  Israel: 
for  Joab  held  back  the  people.  And  they  took  Absalom,  and 
cast  him  into  the  great  pit  in  the  forest,  and  raised  over  him  a 
very  great  heap  of  stones :  and  all  Israel  fled  every  one  to  his 
tent. 

Now  Absalom  in  his  lifetime  had  taken  and  reared  up  for  him- 


230  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

self  the  pillar,  which  is  in  the  king's  dale:  for  he  said,  "  I  have 
no  son  to  keep  my  name  in  remembrance  ":  and  he  called  the 
pillar  after  his  own  name :  and  it  is  called  Absalom's  monument, 
unto  this  day. 

Then  said  Ahimaaz,  the  son  of  Zadok,  "  Let  me  now  run,  and 
bear  the  king  tidings,  how  that  Yahweh  hath  avenged  him  of  his 
enemies."  And  Joab  said  unto  him,  "  Thou  shalt  not  be  the 
bearer  of  tidings  this  day,  but  thou  shalt  bear  tidings  another 
day:  but  this  day  thou  shalt  bear  no  tidings,  because  the  king's 
son  is  dead." 

Then  said  Joab  to  the  Cushite,  "  Go  tell  the  king  what  thou 
hast  seen."  And  the  Cushite  bowed  himseK  unto  Joab,  and 
ran. 

Then  said  Ahimaaz,  the  son  of  Zadok  yet  again  to  Joab, 
"  But  come  what  maj^,  let  me,  I  pray  thee,  also  run  after  the 
Cushite."  And  Joab  said,  "  Wherefore  wilt  thou  run,  my  son, 
seeing  that  thou  \\alt  have  no  reward  for  the  tidings?  "  "But 
come  what  may,"  said  he,  "  I  will  run."  And  he  said  unto  him, 
"  Run."  Then  Ahimaaz  ran  by  the  way  of  the  Plain,  and  overran 
the  Cushite. 

Now  Da\dd  sat  between  the  two  gates,  and  the  watchman  went 
up  to  the  roof  of  the  gate  unto  the  wall,  and  lifted  up  his  eyes, 
and  looked,  and,  behold,  a  man  running  alone.  And  the  watch- 
man cried,  and  told  the  king.  And  the  king  said,  ''If  he  is 
alone,  there  is  tidings  in  his  mouth."  And  he  came  apace,  and 
drew  near.  And  the  watchman  saw  another  man  running;  and 
the  watchman  called  unto  the  porter,  and  said,  "  Behold, 
another  man,  running  alone."  And  the  king  said,  "  He  also 
bringeth  tidings."  And  the  watchman  said,  "  Me  thinketh  the 
mnning  of  the  foremost  is  like  the  running  of  Ahimaaz,  the  son 
of  Zadok."  And  the  king  said,  "  He  is  a  good  man,  and  cometh 
with  good  tidings." 

And  Ahimaaz  called,  and  said  unto  the  king,  "  All  is  well." 
And  he  bowed  himself  before  the  king  with  his  face  to  the  earth, 
and  said,  "  Blessed  be  Yahweh  thy  God,  which  hath  dehvered 
up  the  men  that  lifted  up  their  hand  against  my  lord  the  king." 
And  the  king  said,  ''  Is  it  well  with  the  young  man  Absalom?  " 
And  Ahimaaz  answered,  "  When  Joab  sent  the  king's  servant, 
even  me  thy  servant,  I  saw  a  great  tumult,  but  I  knew  not  what 


SAjMUEL  II  231 

it  was."  And  the  king  said,  "  Turn  aside,  and  stand  here." 
And  he  turned  aside,  and  stood  still. 

And,  behold,  the  Cushite  came;  and  the  Cushite  said,  "  Tid- 
ings for  my  lord  the  king:  for  Yahweh  hath  avenged  thee  this 
day  of  all  them  that  rose  up  against  thee."  And  the  king  said 
unto  the  Cushite,  ''Is  it  well  with  the  young  man  Absalom?  " 
And  the  Cushite  answered,  ''  The  enemies  of  my  lord  the  king, 
and  all  that  rise  up  against  thee  to  do  thee  hurt,  be  as  that  young 
man  is." 

And  the  king  was  much  moved,  and  went  up  to  the  chamber 
over  the  gate,  and  wept :  and  as  he  went,  thus  he  said,  "  0  my  son 
Absalom,  my  son,  my  son  Absalom!  Would  God  I  had  died  for 
thee,  0  Absalom,  my  son,  my  son!  " 

And  it  was  told  Joab,  "  Behold,  the  king  weepeth  and  mourn- 
eth  for  Absalom."  And  the  victory  that  day  was  turned  into 
mourning  unto  all  the  people :  for  the  people  heard  say  that  day, 
''  The  king  grieveth  for  his  son."  And  the  people  gat  them  by 
stealth  that  day  into  the  city,  as  people  that  are  ashamed  steal 
away  when  they  flee  in  battle. 

And  the  king  covered  his  face,  and  the  king  cried  with  a  loud 
voice,  "  0  my  son  Absalom,  0  Absalom,  my  son,  my  son!  " 

And  Joab  came  into  the  house  to  the  king,  and  said,  "  Thou 
hast  shamed  this  day  the  faces  of  all  thy  servants,  which  this 
day  have  saved  thy  life,  and  the  Hves  of  thy  sons  and  of  thy 
daughters,  and  the  lives  of  thy  wives,  and  the  lives  of  thy  concu- 
bines; in  that  thou  lovest  them  that  hate  thee,  and  hatest  them 
that  love  thee.  For  thou  hast  declared  this  day,  that  princes 
and  servants  are  nought  unto  thee :  for  this  day  I  perceive,  that 
if  Absalom  had  lived,  and  all  w^e  had  died  this  day,  then  it  had 
pleased  thee  well.  Now  therefore  arise,  go  forth,  and  speak 
comfortably  unto  thy  servants :  for  I  swear  by  Yahweh,  if  thou 
go  not  forth,  there  will  not  tarry  a  man  with  thee  this  night: 
and  that  will  be  worse  unto  thee  than  all  the  evil  that  hath 
befallen  thee  from  thy  youth  until  now." 

Then  the  king  arose,  and  sat  in  the  gate.  And  they  told  unto 
all  the  people,  saying,  "  Behold,  the  king  doth  sit  in  the  gate:" 
and  all  the  people  came  before  the  king. 

Now  Israel  had  fled  every  man  to  his  tent.  And  all  the  people 
w^ere  at  strife  throughout  all  the  tribes  of  Israel,  saying,  "  The 


232  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

king  delivered  us  out  of  the  hand  of  our  enemies,  and  he  saved  us 
out  of  the  hand  of  the  Phihstines;  and  now  he  is  fled  out  of  the 
land  from  Absalom.  And  Absalom,  whom  we  anointed  over  us, 
is  dead  in  battle.  Now  therefore  why  speak  ye  not  a  word  of 
bringing  the  king  back?  " 

And  king  David  sent  to  Zadok  and  to  Abiathar  the  priests 
saying,  "  Speak  unto  the  elders  of  Judah,  saying,  '  Why  are  ye 
the  last  to  bring  the  king  back  to  his  house?  Seeing  the  speech 
of  all  Israel  is  come  to  the  king,  to  bring  him  to  his  house.  Ye 
are  my  brethren,  ye  are  my  bone  and  my  flesh;  wherefore,  then 
are  ye  the  last  to  bring  back  the  king?  '  And  say  ye  to  Amasa, 
'  Art  thou  not  my  bone  and  my  flesh?  God  do  so  to  me,  and 
more  also,  if  thou  be  not  captain  of  the  host  before  me  continu- 
ally in  the  room  of  Joab.'  " 

And  he  bowed  the  heart  of  all  the  men  of  Judah,  even  as  the 
heart  of  one  man;  so  that  they  sent  unto  the  king,  saying,  "  Re- 
turn thou,  and  all  thy  servants."  So  the  king  returned,  and 
came  to  Jordan.  And  Judah  came  to  Gilgal,  to  go  to  meet  the 
king,  to  bring  the  king  over  Jordan. 

And  Shimei  the  son  of  Gera,  the  Benjamite,  which  was  of 
Bahurim,  hasted  and  came  down  with  the  men  of  Judah  to  meet 
king  David.  And  there  was  a  thousand  men  of  Benjamin  with 
him,  and  Ziba,  the  servant  of  the  house  of  Saul,  and  his  fifteen 
sons  and  his  twenty  servants  with  him;  and  they  went  through 
Jordan  in  the  presence  of  the  king.  And  there  went  over  a 
ferry  boat  to  bring  over  the  king's  household,  and  to  do  what  he 
thought  good. 

And  Shimei,  the  son  of  Gera,  fell  down  before  the  king,  when 
he  was  come  over  Jordan.  And  he  said  unto  the  king,  "  Let 
not  my  lord  impute  iniquity  unto  me,  neither  do  thou  remember 
that  which  thy  servant  did  perversely  the  day  that  my  lord  the 
king  went  out  of  Jerusalem,  that  the  king  should  take  it  to  his 
heart.  For  thj^  servant  doth  know  that  I  have  sinned:  there- 
fore, behold,  I  am  come  this  day  the  first  of  all  the  house  of 
Joseph  to  go  down  to  meet  my  lord  the  king." 

But  Abishai,  the  son  of  Zeruiah,  answered  and  said,  "  Shall 
not  Shimei  be  put  to  death  for  this,  because  he  cursed  Yahweh's 
anointed?  " 

And  David  said,  "  What  have  I  to  do  with  you,  ye  sons  of 


SAMUEL  II  233 

Zeruiah,  that  ye  should  this  day  be  adversaries  unto  me?  Shall 
there  any  man  be  put  to  death  this  day  in  Israel?  For  do  not 
I  know  that  I  am  this  day  king  over  Israel?  "  And  the 
king  said  unto  Shimei,  "  Thou  shalt  not  die."  And  the  king 
sware  unto  him. 

And  Mephibosheth,  the  son  of  Saul,  came  down  to  meet  the 
king:  and  he  had  neither  dressed  his  feet,  nor  trimmed  his 
beard,  nor  washed  his  clothes,  from  the  day  the  king  departed 
until  the  day  he  came  home  in  peace.  And  it  came  to  pass, 
when  he  was  come  to  Jerusalem  to  meet  the  king,  that  the  king 
said  unto  him,  "  Wlierefore  wentest  not  thou  with  me,  Mephib- 
osheth?  "  And  he  answered,  "  My  lord,  0  kmg,  my  servant 
deceived  me:  for  thy  servant  said,  '  I  will  saddle  me  an  ass,  that 
I  may  ride  thereon,  and  go  with  the  king,'  because  thy  servant 
is  lame.  And  he  hath  slandered  thy  servant  unto  my  lord  the 
king;  but  my  lord  the  king  is  as  an  angel  of  God:  do  therefore 
what  is  good  in  thine  eyes.  For  all  my  father's  house  were  but 
dead  men  before  my  lord  the  king:  yet  didst  thou  set  thy  servant 
among  them  that  did  eat  at  thine  own  table.  What  right 
therefore  have  I  yet  that  I  should  cry  any  more  unto  the  king." 
And  the  king  said  unto  him,  "  Why  speakest  thou  any  more  of 
thy  matters?  I  say,  '  Thou  and  Ziba  divide  the  land.'  "  And 
Mephibosheth  said  unto  the  king,  "  Yea,  let  him  take  all,  foras- 
much as  my  lord  the  king  is  come  in  peace  unto  his  own  house. 

And  Barzillai,  the  Gileadite,  came  down  from  Rogelim:  and 
he  went  over  Jordan  with  the  king,  to  conduct  him  over  Jordan. 
Now  Barzillai  was  a  very  aged  man,  even  fourscore  years  old: 
and  he  had  provided  the  king  with  sustenance  whilst  he  lay  at 
Mahanaim;  for  he  was  a  very  great  man.  And  the  king  said 
unto  Barzillai,  "  Come  thou  over  with  me,  and  I  will  sustain 
thee  with  me  in  Jerusalem."  And  Barzillai  said  unto  the  king, 
"  How  many  are  the  days  of  the  years  of  my  life,  that  I  should  go 
up  with  the  king  unto  Jerusalem?  I  am  this  day  fourscore 
years  old:  can  I  discern  between  good  and  bad?  Can  thy  ser- 
vant taste  what  I  eat  or  what  I  drink?  Can  I  hear  any  more  the 
voice  of  singing  men  and  singing  women?  Wherefore  then 
should  thy  servant  be  yet  a  burden  unto  my  lord  the  king?  Thy 
servant  would  but  just  go  over  Jordan  with  the  king:  and  why 
should  the  king  recompense  it  me  with  such  a  reward?    Let  thy 


234  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

servant,  I  pray  thee,  turn  back  again,  that  I  may  die  in  mine 
own  cit}^,  by  the  grave  of  my  father  and  my  mother.  But  be- 
hold, thjT-  servant  Chimham;  let  him  go  over  with  my  lord  the 
king;  and  do  to  him  what  shall  seem  good  unto  thee." 

And  the  king  answered,  *'  Chimham  shall  go  over  with  me, 
and  I  will  do  to  him  that  which  shall  seem  good  unto  thee:  and 
whatsoever  thou  shalt  require  of  me,  that  will  I  do  for  thee." 
And  all  the  people  went  over  Jordan,  and  the  king  went  over: 
and  the  king  kissed  Barzillai,  and  blessed  him;  and  he  returned 
unto  his  own  place. 

So  the  king  went  over  to  Gilgal,  and  Chimham  went  over  with 
him :  and  all  the  people  of  Judah  brought  the  king  over,  and  also 
half  the  people  of  Israel. 

And,  behold,  all  the  men  of  Israel  came  to  the  king,  and  said 
unto  the  king,  "  Why  have  our  brethren  the  men  of  Judah  stolen 
thee  away,  and  brought  the  king,  and  his  household,  over  Jor- 
dan, and  all  David's  men  with  him?  "  And  all  the  men  of  Judah 
answered  the  men  of  Israel,  "  Because  the  king  is  near  of  kin 
to  us;  wherefore,  then  be  ye  angry  for  this  matter?  Have  we 
eaten  at  all  of  the  king's  cost.  Or  hath  he  given  us  any  gift?  " 
And  the  men  of  Israel  answered  the  men  of  Judah,  and  said, 
"  We  have  ten  parts  in  the  king,  and  we  have  also  more  right  in 
David  than  ye;  why  then  did  ye  despise  us,  that  our  advice 
should  not  be  first  had  in  bringing  back  our  king?  "  And  the 
words  of  the  men  of  Judah  were  fiercer  than  the  words  of  the 
men  of  Israel. 

■  And  there  happened  to  be  there  a  man  of  Belial,  whose  name 
was  Sheba,  the  son  of  Bichri,  a  Benjamite:  and  he  blew  the 
trumpet,  and  said,  "  We  have  no  portion  in  David,  neither  have 
we  inheritance  in  the  son  of  Jesse:  every  man  to  his  tents,  0 
Israel."  So  all  the  men  of  Israel  went  up  from  following  David, 
and  followed  Sheba,  the  son  of  Bichri:  but  the  men  of  Judah 
clave  unto  their  king  from  Jordan  even  to  Jerusalem. 

And  David  came  to  his  house  at  Jerusalem ;  and  the  king  took 
the  ten  women  his  concubines,  whom  he  had  left  to  keep  the 
house,  and  put  them  in  ward,  and  provided  them  with  suste- 
nance, but  went  not  in  unto  them.  So  they  were  shut  up  unto 
the  day  of  their  death,  living  in  widowhood. 

Then  said  the  king  to  Amasa,  "  Call  me  the  men  of  Judah 


SAMUEL  II  235 

together  within  three  days,  and  be  thou  here  present.  So 
Amasa  went  to  call  the  men  of  Judah  together:  but  he  tarried 
longer  than  the  set  time  which  he  had  appointed  him. 

And  David  said  to  Abishai,  "  Now  shall  Sheba,  the  son  of 
Bichri,  do  us  more  harm  than  did  Absalom:  take  thou  thy  lord's 
servants,  and  pursue  after  him,  lest  he  get  him  fenced  cities,  and 
escape  out  of  our  sight. 

And  there  went  out  after  him  Joab's  men,  and  the  Cherethites 
and  the  Pelethites,  and  all  the  m-ighty  men:  and  they  went  out 
of  Jerusalem,  to  pursue  after  Sheba  the  son  of  Bichri. 

When  they  were  at  the  great  stone  which  is  in  Gibeon,  Amasa 
came  to  meet  them.  And  Joab  was  girded  with  his  apparel  of 
war  that  he  had  put  on,  and  thereon  was  a  girdle  with  a  sword 
fastened  upon  his  loins  in  the  sheath  thereof;  and  as  he  went 
forth  it  fell  out.  And  Joab  said  to  Amasa,  "  Is  it  well  with  thee, 
my  brother?  "  And  Joab  took  Amasa  by  the  beard  with  his 
right  hand  to  kiss  him.  But  Amasa  took  no  heed  to  the  sword 
that  was  in  Joab's  hand :  so  he  smote  him  therewith  in  the  belly, 
and  shed  out  his  bowels  to  the  ground,  and  struck  him  not 
again;  and  he  died. 

And  Joab  and  Abishai,  his  brother,  pursued  after  Sheba,  the 
son  of  Bichri.  And  there  stood  by  him  one  of  Joab's  young  men, 
and  said,  "  He  that  favoureth  Joab,  and  he  that  is  for  David, 
let  him  follow  Joab." 

And  Amasa  lay  wallowing  in  his  blood  in  the  midst  of  the  high 
way.  And  when  the  men  saw  that  all  the  people  stood  still,  he 
carried  Amasa  out  of  the  highway  into  the  field,  and  cast  a 
garment  over  him,  when  he  saw  that  every  one  that  came  by  him 
stood  still.  When  he  was  removed  out  of  the  highway,  all  the 
people  went  on  after  Joab,  to  pursue  after  Sheba,  the  son  of 
Bichri. 

And  he  went  through  all  the  tribes  of  Israel  unto  Abel,  and  to 
Bethmaacah,  and  all  the  Berites:  and  they  were  gathered  to- 
gether, and  went  also  after  him.  And  they  came  and  be- 
sieged him  in  Abel  of  Beth-maacah,  and  they  cast  up  a  mount 
against  the  city,  and  it  stood  against  the  rampart:  and  ail 
the  people  that  were  with  Joab  battered  the  wall,  to  throw  it 
down. 

Then  cried  a  wise  woman  out  of  the  city,  "  Hear,  hear;  say,  I 


236  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

pray  you,  unto  Joab,  'Come  near  hither,  that  I  may  speak  with 
thee.'  " 

And  he  came  near  unto  her;  and  the  woman  said,  "  Art  thou 
Joab?  "  And  he  answered,  "  I  am."  Then  she  said  unto  him, 
'*  Hear  the  words  of  thine  handmaid."  And  he  answered,  "  I 
do  hear."  Then  she  spake,  sa>dng,  "  They  were  wont  to  speak 
in  okl  time,  sajHing,  '  Thej^  shall  surely  ask  counsel  at  Abel ' : 
and  so  they  ended  the  matter.  I  am  of  them  that  are  peaceable 
and  faithful  in  Israel :  thou  seekest  to  destroj'  a  citj'  and  a  mother 
in  Israel:  why  wilt  thou  swallow  up  the  inheritance  of  Yahweh?  " 

And  Joab  answered  and  said,  "  Far  be  it,  far  be  it  from  me, 
that  I  should  swallow  up  or  destroy.  The  matter  is  not  so :  but 
a  man  of  the  hill  country  of  Ephraim,  Sheba  the  son  of  Bichri 
by  name,  hath  lifted  up  his  hand  against  the  king,  even  against 
David:  deliver  him  only,  and  I  will  depart  from  the  city."  And 
the  woman  said  unto  Joab,  "  Behold,  his  head  shall  be  thrown 
to  thee  over  the  wall." 

Then  the  woman  went  unto  all  the  people  in  her  wisdom.  And 
they  cut  ofT  the  head  of  Sheba,  the  son  of  Bichri,  and  threw  it 
out  to  Joab.  And  he  blew  the  trumpet,  and  they  were  dispersed 
from  the  city,  every  man  to  his  tent.  And  Joab  returned  to 
Jerusalem  unto  the  king. 


KINGS  I 


KINGS  I 

The  Story  of  Solomon 

Now  king  David  was  old  and  stricken  in  years;  and  they 
covered  him  ^vith  clothes,  but  he  gat  no  heat.  Wherefore  his 
servants  said  unto  him,  "  Let  there  be  sought  for  my  lord  the 
king  a  young  virgin:  and  let  her  stand  before  the  king,  and 
cherish  him;  and  let  her  lie  in  thy  bosom,  that  my  lord  the  king 
may  get  heat.  So  they  sought  for  a  fair  damsel  throughout  all 
the  borders  of  Israel,  and  found  Abishag,  the  Shunammite,  and 
brought  her  to  the  king.  And  the  damsel  was  verj^  fair;  and 
she  cherished  the  king,  and  ministered  to  him;  but  the  king 
knew  her  not. 

Then  Adonijah  the  son  of  Haggith  exalted  himself,  saying, 
"  I  will  be  king  ":  and  he  prepared  him  chariots  and  horsemen, 
and  fifty  men  to  run  before  him.  And  his  father  had  not  dis- 
pleased him  at  any  time  in  saying,  "  Why  hast  thou  done  so?  " 
and  he  was  also  a  very  goodly  man ;  and  he  was  born  after  Absa- 
lom. And  he  conferred  with  Joab,  the  son  of  Zeruiah,  and  with 
Abiathar,  the  priest:  and  they  following  Adonijah  helped  him. 
But  Zadok  the  priest,  and  Benaiah  the  son  of  Jehoiada,  and 
Nathan  the  prophet,  and  Shimei,  and  Rei,  and  the  mighty  men 
that  belonged  to  David,  were  not  with  Adonijah.  And  Adoni- 
jah slew  sheep  and  oxen  and  fatlings  by  the  stone  of  Zoheleth, 
which  is  beside  En-rogel;  and  he  called  all  his  brethren,  the 
king's  sons,  and  all  the  men  of  Judah,  the  king's  servants: 
but  Nathan,  the  prophet,  and  Benaiah,  and  the  mighty  men,  and 
Solomon  his  brother,  he  called  not. 

Then  Nathan  spake  unto  Bath-sheba  the  mother  of  Solomon, 
saying,  ''  Hast  thou  not  heard  that  Adonijah  the  son  of  Haggith 
doth  reign,  and  David  our  lord  knoweth  it  not?  Now  therefore 
come,  let  me,  I  pray  thee,  give  thee  counsel,  that  thou  mayest 
save  thine  own  life,  and  the  life  of  thy  son  Solomon.  Go  and 
get  thee  in  unto  king  David,  and  say  unto  him.  Didst  not  thou, 
my  lord,  O  king,  swear  unto  thy  handmaid,  saying,  "  Assuredly 


240  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

Solomon  thy  son  shall  reign  after  me,  and  he  shall  sit  upon  my 
throne?  why  then  doth  Adonijah  reign?  Behold,  while  thou 
yet  talkest  there  with  the  king,  I  also  will  come  in  after  thee,  and 
confirm  thy  words." 

And  Bath-sheba  went  in  unto  the  king  into  the  chamber; 
and  the  king  was  veiy  old;  and  Abishag  the  Shunammite 
was  ministering  unto  the  king.  And  Bath-sheba  bowed,  and 
did  obeisance  unto  the  king.  And  the  king  said,  "  What 
wouldest  thou?  "  And  she  said  unto  him,  "My  lord,  thou 
swearest  by  Yahweh  thy  God  unto  thy  handmaid,  saying, 
'  Assuredly  Solomon  thy  son  shall  reign  after  me,  and  he  shall 
sit  upon  my  throne.  And  now,  behold,  Adonijah  reigneth; 
and  thou,  my  lord  the  king,  knowest  it  not:  and  he  hath 
slain  oxen  and  fathngs  and  sheep  in  abundance,  and  hath 
called  all  the  sons  of  the  king,  and  Abiathar  the  priest,  and  Joab 
the  captain  of  the  host;  but  Solomon  thy  servant  hath  he  not 
called.  And  thou,  my  lord  the  king,  the  eyes  of  all  Israel  are 
upon  thee,  that  thou  shouldest  tell  them  who  shall  sit  on  the 
throne  of  my  lord  the  king  after  him.  Otherwise  it  will  come 
to  pass,  when  my  lord  the  king  shall  sleep  with  his  fathers,  that 
I  and  my  son  Solomon  shall  be  counted  offenders." 

And,  lo,  while  she  j^et  talked  \vith  the  king,  Nathan  the  prophet 
came  in.  And  they  told  the  king,  saying,  "  Behold,  Nathan 
the  prophet."  And  when  he  was  come  in  before  the  king,  he 
bowed  himself  before  the  king  with  his  face  to  the  ground. 
And  Nathan  said,  '^  My  lord,  O  king,  hast  thou  said,  Adonijah 
shall  reign  after  me,  and  he  shall  sit  upon  my  throne?  For  he 
is  gone  down  this  day,  and  hath  slain  oxen  and  fathngs  and  sheep 
in  abundance,  and  hath  called  all  the  king's  sons,  and  the  cap- 
tains of  the  host,  and  Abiathar  the  priest;  and,  behold,  they 
are  eating  and  drinking  before  him,  and  saj'',  '  Lo7ig  live  king 
Adonijah.'  But  me,  even  me  thy  servant,  and  Zadok  the  priest 
and  Benaiah  the  son  of  Jehoiada,  and  thy  servant  Solomon, 
hath  he  not  called.  Is  this  thing  done  by  my  lord  the  Idng,  and 
thou  hast  not  showed  unto  thy  servants  who  should  sit  on  the 
throne  of  my  lord  the  king  after  him?  " 

Then  king  David  answered  and  said,  "  Call  to  me  Bath-sheba." 
And  she  came  into  the  king's  presence,  and  stood  before  the 
king.    And  the  king  sware,  and  said,  "  As  Yahweh  liveth,  who 


KINGS  I  241 

hath  redeemed  my  soul  out  of  all  adversity,  verily  as  I  sware 
unto  thee  by  Yahweh,  the  God  of  Israel,  saying,  '  Assuredly 
Solomon  thy  son  shall  reign  after  me,  and  he  shall  sit  upon  my 
throne  in  my  stead  ';  verily  so  will  I  do  this  day."  Then  Bath- 
sheba  bowed  with  her  face  to  the  earth,  and  did  obeisance  to  the 
king,  and  said,  "  Let  my  lord  king  David  live  for  ever." 

And  king  David  said,  "  Call  to  me  Zadok  the  priest,  and 
Nathan  the  prophet,  and  Benaiah  the  son  of  Jehoiada."  And 
they  came  before  the  king.  And  the  king  said  unto  them, 
"  Take  with  you  the  servants  of  your  lord,  and  cause  Solomon 
my  son  to  ride  upon  mine  own  mule,  and  bring  him  down  to 
Gihon:  and  let  Zadok,  the  priest  and  Nathan,  the  prophet 
anoint  him  there  king  over  Israel;  and  blow  ye  the  trumpet,  and 
say,  'Long  live  king  Solomon.'  Then  ye  shall  come  up  after 
him,  and  he  shall  come  and  sit  upon  my  throne;  for  he  shall  be 
king  in  my  stead;  and  I  have  appointed  him  to  be  prince  over 
Israel  and  over  Judah."  And  Benaiah  the  son  of  Jehoiada 
answered  the  king,  and  said,  "  Amen:  Yehweh  the  God  of  my 
lord  the  king,  say  so  too.  As  Yahweh  hath  been  with  my  lord 
the  king,  even  so  be  he  with  Solomon,  and  make  his  throne 
greater  than  the  throne  of  my  lord  king  David." 

So  Zadok  the  priest,  and  Nathan  the  prophet,  and  Benaiah  the 
son  of  Jehoiada,  and  the  Cherethites  and  the  Pelethites,  went 
dowTi,  and  called  Solomon  to  ride  upon  king  David's  mule,  and 
brought  him  to  Gihon.  And  Zadok  the  priest  took  the  horn  of 
oil  out  of  the  Tent,  and  anointed  Solomon.  And  they  blew  the 
trumpet;  and  all  the  people  said,  "Long  live  king  Solomon." 
And  all  the  people  came  up  after  him,  and  the  people  piped  with 
pipes,  and  rejoiced  wath  great  joy,  so  that  the  earth  rent  with  the 
sound  of  them. 

And  Adonijah  and  all  the  guests  that  were  with  him  heard 
it  as  they  had  made  an  end  of  eating.  And  when  Joab  heard  the 
sound  of  the  trumpet,  he  said,  "  Wherefore  is  this  noise  of  the 
city  being  in  an  uproar?  "  While  he  yet  spake,  behold,  Jona- 
than the  son  of  Abiathar,  the  priest  came:  and  Adonijah  said, 
"  Come  in;  for  thou  art  a  worthy  man,  and  bringest  good  tid- 
ings." And  Jonathan  answered  and  said  to  Adonijah,  "  Verily 
our  lord  king  David  hath  made  Solomon  king:  and  the  king 
hath  sent  w^th  him  Zadok  the  priest,  and  Nathan  the  prophet, 


242  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

and  Benaiah  the  son  of  Jehoiada,  and  the  Cherethites  and  the 
Pelethites;  and  they  have  caused  him  to  ride  upon  the  king's 
mule;  and  Zadok  the  priest  and  Nahan  the  prophet  have 
anointed  him  king  in  Gihon;  and  they  are  come  up  from  thence 
rejoicing,  so  that  the  city  rang  again.  This  is  the  noise  that  ye 
have  heard.  And  also  Solomon  sitteth  on  the  throne  of  the 
kingdom.  And  moreover  the  king's  servants  came  to  bless  our 
lord  king  David,  saying,  "  Thy  God  make  the  name  of  Solomon 
better  than  thy  name,  and  make  his  throne  greater  than  thy 
throne  ":  and  the  king  bowed  himself  upon  the  bed.  And  also 
thus  said  the  king,  "  Blessed  be  Yahweh,  the  God  of  Israel, 
who  hath  given  one  to  sit  on  my  throne  this  day,  mine  eyes  even 
seeing  it." 

And  all  the  guests  of  Adonijah  were  afraid,  and  rose  up,  and 
went  every  man  his  way.  And  Adonijah  feared  because  of 
Solomon;  and  he  arose,  and  went,  and  caught  hold  on  the  horns 
of  the  altar.  And  it  was  told  Solomon,  saying,  "  Behold, 
Adonijah  feareth  king  Solomon;  for,  lo,  he  hath  laid  hold  on  the 
horns  of  the  altar,  saying,  '  Let  king  Solomon  swear  unto  me 
first  that  he  will  not  slay  his  servant  with  the  sword.'  "  And 
Solomon  said,  ''  If  he  shall  shew  himself  a  worth}''  man,  there 
shall  not  a  hair  of  him  fall  to  the  earth;  but  if  wickedness  be 
found  in  him,  he  shall  die."  So  king  Solomon  sent,  and  they 
brought  him  down  from  the  altar.  And  he  came  and  did  obei- 
sance to  king  Solomon;  and  Solomon  said  unto  him,  "Go  to 
th}''  house." 

Now  the  days  of  David  drew  nigh  that  he  should  die;  and  he 
charged  Solomon  his  son,  saying,  "  I  am  going  the  way  of  all  the 
earth."  Moreover  thou  knowest  also  what  Joab  the  son  of 
Zeruiah  did  unto  me,  even  what  he  did  to  the  two  captains  of  the 
hosts  of  Israel,  unto  Abner  the  son  of  Ner,  and  unto  Amasa  the 
son  of  Jether,  whom  he  slew,  and  shed  the  blood  of  war  in  peace, 
and  put  the  blood  of  war  upon  his  girdle  that  was  about  his 
loins,  and  in  his  shoes  that  were  on  his  feet.  Do  therefore 
according  to  thy  wisdom,  and  let  not  his  hoar  head  go  down  to 
Sheol  in  peace.  But  show  kindness  unto  the  sons  of  Barzillai 
the  Gileadite,  and  let  them  be  of  those  that  eat  at  thy  table; 
for  so  they  came  to  me  when  I  fled  from  Absalom  thy  brother. 
And,  behold,  there  is  with  thee  Shimei  the  son  of  Gera,  the  Benja- 


KINGS  I  243 

mite,  of  Bahurim,  who  cursed  me  with  a  grievous  curse  in  the 
day  when  I  went  to  Mahanaim ;  but  he  came  down  to  meet  me 
at  the  Jordan,  and  I  sware  to  him  by  Yahweh,  saying,  '  I  will 
not  put  thee  to  death  with  the  sword.'  Now  therefore  hold 
him  not  guiltless,  for  thou  art  a  wise  man;  and  thou  Avilt  know 
what  thou  oughtest  to  do  unto  him,  and  thou  shalt  bring  his 
hoar  head  down  to  Sheol  with  blood." 

Then  Adonijah  the  son  of  Haggith  came  to  Bath-sheba,  the 
mother  of  Solomon.  And  she  said,  "  Comest  thou  peaceably?  " 
And  he  said,  "  Peaceably."  He  said  moreover,  "  I  have  some- 
what to  say  unto  thee."  And  she  said,  "  Say  on."  And  he 
said,  "  Thou  knowest  that  the  kingdom  was  mine,  and  that  all 
Israel  set  their  faces  on  me,  that  I  should  reign:  howbeit  the 
kingdom  is  turned  about,  and  is  become  my  brother's;  for  it 
was  his  from  Yahweh.  And  now  I  ask  one  petition  of  thee, 
deny  me  not."  And  she  said  unto  him,  "  Say  on."  And  he 
said,  "  Speak,  I  pray  thee,  unto  Solomon  the  king  (for  he  will 
not  say  thee  nay),  that  he  give  me  Abishag  the  Shunammite  to 
^vife."  And  Bath-sheba  said,  "  Well;  I  will  speak  for  thee  unto 
the  king." 

Bath-sheba  therefore  went  unto  king  Solomon,  to  speak  unto 
liim  for  Adonijah.  And  the  king  rose  up  to  meet  her,  and  bowed 
himself  unto  her,  and  sat  down  on  his  throne,  and  caused  a 
throne  to  be  set  for  the  king's  mother;  and  she  sat  on  his  right 
hand.  Then  she  said,  "  I  ask  one  small  petition  of  thee;  deny 
me  not."  And  the  king  said  unto  her,  "  Ask  on,  my  mother; 
for  I  will  not  deny  thee."  And  she  said,  "  Let  Abishag,  the 
Shunammite  be  given  to  Adonijah  thy  brother  to  wife."  And 
king  Solomon  answered  and  said  unto  his  mother,  "  And  why 
dost  thou  ask  Abishag  the  Shunammite  for  Adonijah?  ask  for 
him  the  kingdom  also;  for  he  is  mine  elder  brother;  even  for 
him,  and  for  Abiathar  the  priest,  and  for  Joab,  the  son  of  Zeruiah." 
Then  king  Solomon  sware  by  Yahweh,  saying,  ''  God  do  so  to 
me,  and  more  also,  if  Adonijah  hath  not  spoken  this  word  against 
his  own  life.  Now  therefore  as  Yahweh  liveth,  who  hath  estab- 
lished me,  and  set  me  on  the  throne  of  David  my  father,  and  who 
hath  made  me  an  house,  as  he  promised,  surely  Adonijah  shall  be 
put  to  death  this  day."  And  king  Solomon  sent  by  Benaiah,  the 
son  of  Jehoiada;  and  he  fell  upon  him,  so  that  he  died. 


244  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

iVnd  unto  Abiathar  the  priest  said  the  king,  "  Get  thee  to 
Anathoth,  unto  thine  owti  fields;  for  thou  art  worthy  of  death: 
but  I  will  not  at  this  time  put  thee  to  death,  because  thou  barest 
the  ark  of  the  Yahweh  before  David  my  father,  and  because 
thou  wast  afflicted  in  all  wherein  my  father  was  afflicted." 

.And  the  tidings  came  to  Joab;  for  Joab  had  turned  after 
Adonijah,  though  he  turned  not  after  Absalom.  And  Joab  fled 
unto  the  Tent  of  Yahweh,  and  caught  hold  on  the  horns  of  the 
altar.  And  it  was  told  king  Solomon,  "  Joab  is  fled  unto  the 
Tent  of  Yahweh,  and,  behold,  he  is  by  the  altar."  Then  Solo- 
mon sent  Benaiah,  the  son  of  Jehoiada,  saying,  "  Go,  faU  upon 
him."  And  Benaiah  came  to  the  Tent  of  Yahweh,  and  said 
unto  him,  "  Thus  saith  the  king.  Come  forth."  And  he  said, 
"  Nay;  but  I  will  die  here."  And  Benaiah  brought  the  king 
word  again,  saying,  "  Thus  said  Joab,  and  thus  he  answered 
me."  And  the  king  said  unto  him,  ''Do  as  he  hath  said,  and 
fall  upon  him,  and  burj^  him;  that  thou  mayest  take  away  the 
blood,  which  Joab  shed  v.ithout  cause,  from  me  and  from  my 
father's  house.  And  Yahweh  wifl  return  his  blood  upon  his 
own  head,  because  he  feU  upon  two  men  more  righteous  and 
better  than  he,  and  slew  them  with  the  sword,  and  my  father 
Da^dd  knew  it  not,  to  wit,  Abner  the  son  of  Xer,  captain  of  the 
host  of  Israel,  and  Amasa  the  son  of  Jether,  captain  of  the  host  of 
Judah.  So  shall  their  blood  return  upon  the  head  of  Joab,  and 
upon  the  head  of  his  seed  for  ever:  but  unto  David,  and  unto  his 
seed,  and  unto  his  house,  and  unto  his  throne,  shall  there  be 
peace  for  ever  from  Yahweh."  Then  Benaiah  the  son  of 
Jehoiada  went  up,  and  fell  upon  him,  and  slew  him;  and  he 
was  buried  in  his  own  house  in  the  \\ilderness.  And  the  king 
put  Benaiah  the  son  of  Jehoiada  in  his  room  over  the  host; 
and  Zadok  the  priest  did  the  king  put  in  the  room  of  Abiathar. 

And  the  king  sent  and  called  for  Shimei,  and  said  unto  him, 
"  Build  thee  an  house  in  Jerusalem,  and  dwell  there,  and  go  not 
forth  thence  any  whither.  For  on  the  day  thou  goest  out,  and 
passest  over  the  brook  Kidron,  know  thou  for  certain  that  thou 
shalt  surely  die:  thy  blood  shall  be  upon  thine  own  head." 
And  Shimei  said  unto  the  king,  "  The  sajang  is  good:  as  my  lord 
the  king  hath  said,  so  Tvill  thy  servant  do."  And  Shimei  dwelt 
in  Jerusalem  manv  davs. 


KINGS  I  245 

And  it  came  to  pass  at  the  end  of  three  years,  that  two  of  the 
servants  of  Shimei  ran  away  unto  Achish,  son  of  Maacah,  king 
of  Gath.  And  they  told  Shimei,  saying,  "  Behold,  thy  servants 
are  in  Gath."  And  Shimei  arose,  and  saddled  his  ass,  and  went 
to  Gath  to  Achish,  to  seek  his  servants;  and  Shimei  went,  and 
brought  his  servants  from  Gath.  And  it  was  told  Solomon  that 
Shimei  had  gone  from  Jerusalem  to  Gath,  and  was  come  again. 
And  the  king  sent  and  called  for  Shimei,  and  said  unto  him, 
''  Did  I  not  adjure  thee  by  Yahweh,  and  protest  unto  thee,  say- 
ing, '  Know  for  certain,  that  on  the  day  thou  goest  out,  and 
walkest  abroad  any  whither,  thou  shalt  surely  die?  and  thou 
saidst  unto  me,  The  sajdng  that  I  have  heard  is  good.'  Why 
then  hast  thou  not  kept  the  oath  of  Yahweh,  and  the  command- 
ment that  I  have  charged  thee  with?  "  The  king  said,  moreover 
to  Shimei,  "  Thou  knowest  all  the  wickedness  which  thy  heart  is 
privy  to,  that  thou  didst  to  David  mj^  father:  therefore  Yahweh 
shall  return  thy  wickedness  upon  thine  own  head.  But  king 
Solomon  shall  be  blessed,  and  the  throne  of  Da^dd  shall  be  estab- 
lished before  Yahweh  for  ever."  So  the  king  commanded  Be- 
naiah  the  son  of  Jehoiada;  and  he  went  out,  and  fell  upon  him, 
so  that  he  died.  And  the  kingdom  was  estabhshed  in  the  hand 
of  Solomon. 

And  Solomon  made  affinitj^  with  Pharaoh  king  of  Egj'pt,  and 
took  Pharaoh's  daughter,  and  brought  her  into  the  city  of  Da^dd, 
until  he  had  made  an  end  of  building  his  o\sti  house,  and  the  house 
of  Yahweh,  and  the  wall  of  Jerusalem  round  about. 

And  king  Solomon  was  king  over  all  Israel.  And  these  were 
the  princes  whom  he  had :  Azariah  the  son  of  Zadok,  the  priest ; 
Ehhoreph  and  Ahijah,  the  sons  of  Shisha,  scribes;  Jehoshaphat, 
the  son  of  Ahilud,  the  recorder;  and  Benaiah,  the  son  of  Je- 
hoiada was  over  the  host ;  and  Zadok  and  Abiathar  were  priests ; 
and  Azariah,  the  son  of  Nathan  was  over  the  officers;  and  Zabud 
the  son  of  Nathan  w^as  chief  minister,  ajid  the  king's  friend; 
and  Ahishar  was  over  the  household;  and  Adoniram,  the  son  of 
Abda  was  over  the  men  subject  to  taskwork. 

And  Solomon  had  twelve  officers  over  all  Israel,  who  pro\'ided 
victuals  for  the  king  and  his  household :  each  man  had  to  make 
pro^'ision  for  a  month  in  the  j'ear.  And  these  are  their  names: 
Ben-hur,  in  the  hill-countrj'  of  Ephraim;  Ben-deker,  in  Makaz, 


246  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

and  in  Shaalbim,  and  Beth-shemesh,  and  Elon-beth-hanan ; 
Ben-hesed,  in  Arubboth  (to  him  pertained  Socoh,  and  all  the  land 
of  Hepher);  Ben-abinadab,  in  all  the  height  of  Dor  (he  had 
Taphath,  the  daughter  of  Solomon  to  wife);  Baana,  the  son  of 
Ahilud,  in  Taanach  and  Megiddo,  and  all  Beth-shean  which  is 
beside  Zarethan,  beneath  Jezreel,  from  Beth-shean  to  Abel- 
meholah,  as  far  as  bej^ond  Jokmeam.;  Ben-geber,  in  Ramoth- 
gilead  (to  him  pertained  the  tow^is  of  Jair  the  son  of  Manasseh, 
which  are  in  Gilead;  even  to  him  pertained  the  region  of  Argob, 
which  is  in  Bashan,  threescore  great  cities  with  walls  and  brasen 
bars);  Ahinadab,  the  son  of  Iddo,  in  Mahanaim;  Ahimaaz,  in 
Naphtali  (he  also  took  Basemath,  the  daughter  of  Solomon  to 
wife) ;  Baana,  the  son  of  Hushai,  in  Asher  and  Bealoth;  Jehosha- 
phat,  the  son  of  Paruah,  in  Issachar;  Shimei,  the  son  of  Ela, 
in  Benjamin;  Geber  the  son  of  Uri,  in  the  land  of  Gilead,  the 
country  of  Sihon,  king  of  the  Amorites  and  of  Og,  king  of  Bashan; 
and  he  was  the  only  officer  that  was  in  the  land. 

And  Solomon's  provision  for  one  day  was  thirty  measures  of 
fine  flour,  and  threescore  measures  of  meal,  ten  fat  oxen,  and 
twenty  oxen  out  of  the  pastures,  and  a  hundred  sheep,  besides 
harts,  and  gazelles,  and  roebucks,  and  fatted  fowl. 

And  Solomon  had  forty  thousand  stalls  of  horses  for  his 
chariots,  and  twelve  thousand  horsemen.  And  those  officers 
provided  victuals  for  king  Solomon,  and  for  all  that  came  unto 
king  Solomon's  table,  ever}'-  man  in  his  month;  they  let  nothing 
be  lacking.  Barley  also  and  straw  for  the  horses  and  swift 
steeds  brought  thej''  unto  the  place  where  the  officers  were  every 
man  according  to  his  charge. 

And  it  came  to  pass  at  the  end  of  twenty  years,  wherein  Solomon 
had  built  the  two  houses,  the  house  of  Yahweh  and  the  king's 
house  (now  Hiram  the  king  of  Tyre  had  furnished  Solomon  with 
cedar-trees  and  fir-trees,  and  with  gold,  according  to  all  his  de- 
sire), that  then  king  Solomon  gave  Hiram  twenty  cities  in  the 
land  of  Galilee.  And  Hiram  came  out  from  Tyre  to  see  the 
cities  which  Solomon  had  given  him;  and  they  pleased  him  not. 
And  he  said,  "  What  cities  are  these  which  thou  hast  given  me, 
mj''  brother?"  And  he  called  them  the  land  of  Cabul  unto  this 
day.     And  Hiram  sent  to  the  king  sixscore  talents  of  gold. 

And  this  is  the  reason  of  the  levy  which  king  Solomon  raised, 


KINGS  I  247 

to  build  the  house  of  Yahweh,  and  his  own  house,  and  Millo, 
and  the  wall  of  Jerusalem,  and  Hazor,  and  Meggido,  and  Gezer. 
Pharaoh,  king  of  Egypt  had  gone  up,  and  taken  Gezer,  and  burnt 
it  with  fire,  and  slain  the  Canaanites  that  dwelt  in  the  city  and 
given  it  for  a  portion  unto  his  daughter,  Solomon's  wife.  And 
Solomon  built  Gezer,  and  Beth-horon  the  nether,  and  Baalath, 
and  Tamar  in  the  ^dlderness,  in  the  land,  and  all  the  store-cities 
that  Solomon  had,  and  the  cities  for  his  chariots,  and  the 
cities  for  his  horsemen,  and  that  which  Solomon  desired  to  build 
for  his  pleasure  in  Jerusalem,  and  in  Lebanon,  and  in  all  the  land 
of  his  dominion.  As  for  all  the  people  that  were  left  of  the 
Amorites,  the  Hittites,  the  Perizzites,  the  Hivites,  and  the 
Jebusites,  who  were  not  of  the  children  of  Israel;  their  children 
that  were  left  after  them  in  the  land,  whom  the  children  of  Israel 
were  not  able  utterly  to  destroy,  of  them  did  Solomon  raise  a 
levy  of  bondservants,  unto  this  day.  But  of  the  children  of 
Israel  did  Solomon  make  no  bondservants;  but  they  were  the 
men  of  war,  and  his  servants,  and  his  princes,  and  his  captains, 
and  rulers  of  his  chariots  and  of  his  horsemen. 

These  were  the  chief  officers  that  were  over  Solomon's  work, 
five  hundred  and  fifty,  who  bare  rule  over  the  people  that  wrought 
in  the  work. 

But  Pharaoh's  daughter  came  up  out  of  the  city  of  David 
unto  her  house  which  Solomon  had  built  for  her:  then  did  he 
build  Millo. 

And  three  times  in  a  year  did  Solomon  offer  burnt-offerings, 
and  peace-offerings  upon  the  altar  which  he  built  unto  Yahweh, 
burning  incense  therewith,  upon  the  altar  that  was  before  Yah- 
weh.   So  he  finished  the  house. 

And  king  Solomon  made  a  navy  of  ships  in  Ezion-geber,  which 
is  beside  Eloth,  on  the  shore  of  the  Red  Sea,  in  the  land  of 
Edom.  And  Hiram  sent  in  the  navy  his  servants,  shipmen  that 
had  knowledge  of  the  sea,  with  the  servants  of  Solomon.  And 
they  came  to  Ophir,  and  fetched  from  thence  gold,  four  hundred 
and  twenty  talents,  and  brought  it  to  king  Solomon. 

And  the  navy  also  of  Hiram,  that  brought  gold  from  Ophir, 
brought  in  from  Ophir  great  plenty  of  almug-trees  and  precious 
stones.  And  the  king  made  of  the  almug-trees  pillars  for  the 
house  of  Yahweh,  and  for  the  king's  house,  harps  also  and  psal- 


248  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

tries  for  the  singers:  there  came  no  such  almiig-trees,  nor  were 
seen,  unto  this  day. 

Now  the  weight  of  gold  that  came  to  Solomon  in  one  year  was 
six  hundred  threescore  and  six  talents  of  gold,  besides  tJmt  which 
the  traders  brought,  and  the  traffic  of  the  merchants,  and  of  all 
the  kings  of  the  mingled  people,  and  of  the  governors  of  the 
country.  And  king  Solomon  made  two  hundred  bucklers  of 
beaten  gold;  six  hundred  shekels  of  gold  Avent  to  one  buckler. 
And  he  made  three  hundred  shields  of  beaten  gold;  three  pounds 
of  gold  went  to  one  shield :  and  the  king  put  them  in  the  house  of 
the  forest  of  Lebanon.  Moreover  the  king  made  a  great  throne 
of  ivory,  and  overlaid  it  with  the  finest  gold.  There  were  six 
steps  to  the  throne,  and  the  top  of  the  throne  was  round  behind ; 
and  there  were  stays  on  either  side  by  the  place  of  the  seat, 
and  two  lions  standing  beside  the  stays.  And  twelve  lions  stood 
there  on  the  one  side  and  on  the  other  upon  the  six  steps :  there 
was  not  the  like  made  in  any  kingdom. 

And  Solomon  gathered  together  chariots  and  horsemen:  and 
he  had  a  thousand  and  four  hundred  chariots,  and  twelve  thou- 
sand horsemen,  that  he  bestowed  in  the  chariot  cities,  and  with 
the  king  at  Jerusalem.  And  the  horses  which  Solomon  had  were 
brought  out  of  Egypt;  and  the  king's  merchants  received  them 
in  droves,  each  drove  at  a  price.  And  a  chariot  came  up  and 
went  out  of  Egypt  for  six  hundred  shekels  of  silver,  and  a  horse 
for  a  hundred  and  fifty;  and  so  for  all  the  kings  of  the  Hittites, 
and  for  the  kings  of  Syria,  did  thej^  bring  them  out  by  their 
means. 


NOTES 

GENESIS 

I.     The  Story  of  Creation 
Page  3  {Ch.  II,  4h.) 

Yahweh  was  the  name  of  the  tribal  God  of  the  Hebrews.  lu  dis- 
entangling these  most  ancient  passages,  scholars  have  been  guided  by 
the  use  of  the  name  of  Yahweh  for  the  Deity,  hence  it  has  been  called 
"  The  Yahwist  Bible  "  which  is  supposed  to  begin  in  the  middle  of  the 
fourth  verse  of  second  chapter.  In  the  original  story  there  was  probably 
a  "  Tree  of  Life  "  and  a  "  Tree  of  Death."  If  man  ate  of  the  one  he 
lived  forever,  if  he  ate  of  the  other  he  lived  only  a  few  hundred  years. 
But  deceived  by  the  serpent  he  ate  of  the  "  Tree  of  Death,"  and  so  lost 
his  immortality. 

Page  4  {Ch.  Ill,  8) 

According  to  Sir  James  Frazer  they  heard  the  sound  of  his  footsteps, 
and  not  that  of  his  voice,  as  in  the  English  version. 

Page  5  {Ch.  Ill,  IJ,,  15) 

Among  savage  tribes  it  was  a  common  belief  that  serpents  ate  dust  and 
with  lizards  and  beetles  were  immortal. 

In  the  most  ancient  Semitic  Epic,  the  serpent  steals  the  life  plant 
from  Gilgamesh,  while  he  is  bathing  in  the  brook.  When  he  dis- 
covers he  has  lost  his  immortality,  he  sits  down  and  weeps.  This  story 
of  the  Fall  is  taken  from  an  earlier  savage  myth  that  man  has  been 
robbed  of  his  immortality  by  these  rivals. 

Page  5  {Ch.  Ill,  22) 

Lest  they  might  "  live  forever  "  was  the  sole  reason  apparently  why 
they  were  driven  out  of  the  Garden. 

Page  6  {Ch.  IV,  22) 
"  Wandering  families  of  smiths  are  still  found  among  Arabs." 

Page  7  {Ch.  IV,  23,  24) 

These  verses  are  taken  from  the  most  ancient  literary  material  used 
by  the  Yahwistic  writer. 

THE  STORY  OF  NOAH 

Page?  {Ch.  VI,  1) 

The  Babylonian  deluge  myth  as  found  in  the  cuneiform  tablets  is 
believed  to  be  the  origin  of  the  Biblical  story  of  the  flood. 

Pages  {Ch.  VII,  1) 

Xanthus  was  the  tenth  king  of  Babylon  in  the  Babylonian  story  as 
told  by  Berosus.  Noah  was  the  tenth  man  from  Adam  in  the  Yahwistic 
narration.     According  to  Josephus  the  animals  went  in  "  by  sevens." 


250  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

The  laws  of  uncleanness  were  parallel  with  the  taboos  that  "  totem- 
ism  lays  on  the  use  of  sacred  animals  as  food,"  according  to  W.  Robertson 
Smith. 

A  special  prominence  is  given  to  the  number  seven  both  in  the  Yah- 
wistic  and  Babylonian  version.     See,  Century  Bible. 

Page  9  {Ch.  VIII,  21) 

The  Sumerian  legend  is  believed  to  have  been  written  about  the  time 
of  Hammurabi,  2100  B.  C. 

Page  10  (Ch.  XI) 

Herodotus  says  that  the  temple  was  in  a  series  of  eight  terraces  or 
solid  towers,  one  on  the  top  of  the  other  with  a  rampart  winding  up  on 
the  outside,  but  broken  about  half  way  up  by  a  landing  place  where  there 
were  seats  for  rest  and  refreshment. 

Page  10  {Ch.  X,  8-11) 

Cush  was  the  son  of  Ham,  Accad,  ancient  Akkad-Shinar,  Babylonia. 

Nineveh  was  probably  settled  3000  B.  C. 

"  In  the  ancient  Sumerian  language  the  temple  was  called  E-temen- 
an-ki  or  the  House  of  the  Foundation  of  Heaven  and  Earth." —  R.  F. 
Harper. 


THE  STORY  OF  ABRAM 

Page  11  {Ch.  XI,  28) 

"  Ur  of  the  Chaldees."  The  Hebrew  Yahweh  was  originally  a 
Turanian  deity. 

Page  H  {Ch.  XV,  10  and  18) 

Yahweh  adopts  the  common  customs  of  men  in  making  a  legal  con- 
tract. "  The  practise  of  passing  between  the  parts  of  the  animal 
sacrifices  can  hardly  have  any  other  meaning  than  that  the  man  identifies 
himself  with  the  animal  into  whose  body  he  forces  himself  and  that  he 
offers  it  to  the  Higher  Powers  as  a  substitute  for  himself.  The  principle 
of  vicarious  sacrifice  which  has  played  so  great  a  part  in  the  history  of 
religion  could  hardly  be  carried  out  more  perspicuously  than  in  these 
savage  and  bloody  rites."  — Sir  James  Frazer. 

Page  20   {Ch.  XXI,  25) 

Abimelech  was  the  king  of  Gerar. 

Page  20  {Ch.  XXIV,  v.  2,  3) 

One  of  the  ancient  phallic  customs  of  taking  an  oath,  among  savage 
tribes,  which  were  especially  prevalent  in  the  Semitic  races.  Compare 
Chap.  47,  V.  29. 

Page  22  {Ch.  XXIV,  v.  21) 

This  storj'  is  supposed  to  depict  well  known  experiences  of  the  nomads 
of  the  desert  in  seeking  wives  from  other  tribes,  especially  the  meeting 
with  the  women  at  a  well. 


NOTES  251 

THE  STORY  OF  ISAAC 

Page  25  {Ch.  XXV,  v.  26) 

"  Abram  is  the  type  of  a  Semitic  Sheik,  brave  and  hospitable,  dignified 
and  courteous.  Jacob  is  the  type  of  the  Semitic  trader,  supple  and  acute 
with  a  keen  eye  to  gains,  compassing  his  ends  not  by  force  but  by  craft, 
and  not  too  scrupulous  in  his  choice  of  means  by  which  to  overreach  and 
outwit  his  competitors." — Sir  James  Frazer. 

Page  27  {Chap.  XXVII) 

"  At  a  certain  stage  of  moral  evolution  such  frauds  excite  little  or  no 
reprobation  except  among  those  who  immediately  suffer  by  them; 
the  impartial  spectator  indeed  is  apt  to  applaud  them  as  exhibitions  of 
superior  intelligence  and  dexterity  triumphing  over  mere  honest  stupid- 
ity. However,  a  time  comes  when  public  opinion  ranges  itself  on  the 
side  of  the  honest  dullard  and  against  the  clever  sharper,  because  experi- 
ence proves  that  everj'  fraud,  however  admirable  the  ingenuity  and 
foresight  it  displays,  directly  injui-es  not  only  individuals  but  society  as  a 
whole,  by  loosening  that  bond  of  mutual  confidence  by  which  alone  any 
corporate  body  of  men  is  held  together.  When  this  truth  has  been 
generally  recognized  the  historian  comes  to  judge  the  doings  of  men  in 
the  past  by  a  moral  standard  which  neither  the  men  themselves  nor  their 
contemporaries  ever  dreamed  of  applying  to  their  actions,  and  if  the 
heroic  figures  of  the  past  seem  to  fall  far  below  that  standard,  the  chari- 
table critic  instead  of  frankly  acknowledging  the  gulf  which  moral  progress 
has  created  between  himself  and  them,  attempts  to  bridge  it  over  by 
finding  excuses  or  justification  for  deeds  which  his  own  ethical  judgment 
leads  him  to  condemn.  The  process  of  whitewashing  moral  black- 
amoors when  it  is  prompted  by  the  charity  of  a  kindly  heart  and  not  by 
the  empty  vanity  of  maintaining  a  paradox  is  creditable  to  the  white- 
washer  and  perhaps  harmless  to  other  people."  — Sir  James  G.  Frazer. 

THE  STORY  OF  JACOB 

Page  31  {Ch.  XXVIII,  18) 

The  Century  Bible  says  that  the  pillar  or  sacred  stone  was  part  of  the 
apparatus  of  a  sanctuarj'  in  early  times  both  in  Israel  and  elsewhere 
and  was  a  relic  of  an  earlier  time  when  the  stone  itself  was  an  object  of 
worship,  the  abode  of  the  deity  —  the  black  stone  at  Mecca  continues 
to  be  worshipped  by  the  Mohammedans. 

Page  33  {Ch.  XXIX,  27) 

"  This  affair  apart  from  the  genuine  love  Jacob  felt  for  one  of  his  wives 
was  essentially  a  commercial  transaction  between  two  sharp  men,  each 
of  whom  tried  successfully  to  cheat  the  other.  The  virtuous  indignation 
which  each  of  the  two  rogues  felt  or  affected  at  the  rascality  of  the  other 
is  a  delicate  stroke  of  satire  in  the  manner  of  ^Moliere."  — Folklore  of  the 
Old  Testament. 

Page  33  {Ch.  XXX) 

This  patriarch,  in  marrj'ing  his  cross  cousins,  the  daughters  of  his 
mother's  mother,  the  elder  before  the  younger,  and  serving  his  father-in- 
law  for  a  series  of  years  for  them  was  obse^^ang  the  ancient  customs  of 
many  tribes. 


252  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHTV^EH 

Page  33  {Ch.  XXX,  v.  U) 

"  The  original  Hebrew  tradition  with  regard  to  the  birth  of  Joseph  is 
'  that  his  mother  got  him  by  eating  of  a  mandrake.'  But  the  pious 
editor  of  Genesis,  shocked  at  the  intrusion  of  this  crude  boorish  super- 
stition into  the  patriarchal  narrative  drew  his  pen  through  the  unedify- 
ing  part  of  the  story  which  traced  Rachel's  first  pregnancy  to  the  eating 
of  the  yellow  berries,  replacing  it  by  the  decorous  phrase.  '  God  remem- 
bered Rachel,  and  God  hearkened  to  her.  and  opened  her  womb.'  Never- 
theless, though  this  curious  piece  of  folk-lore  was  struck  out  of  the  text 
of  Genesis,  some  thousands  of  years  ago  the  popular  belief  in  the  magical 
virtue  of  the  mandrake  to  ensure  conception,  was  by  no  means  thereby 
eradicated,  for  it  has  sur\-ived  among  the  natives  of  Palestine  to  the 
present  time." — Sir  James  G.  Frazer. 

It  is  said  that  even  in  America  roots  are  imported  from  the  East  and 
are  sold  among  orthodox  Jews,  some  even  paying  as  high  as  ten  dollars 
for  a  specimen. 

The  ancient  Greeks  also  ascribe  to  the  mandrake  the  power  of  excit- 
ing the  passion  of  love. 

Page  38  {Ch.  XXXI,  49) 

"  This  verse  in  regard  to  Mizpah  is  an  expression  of  mutual  distrust 
and  is  singularly  unsuitable  for  an  inscription  of  the  so-called  Mizpah 
rings  which  are  used  as  tokens  by  separated  friends  and  lovers."  —  Cen- 
tury Bihle. 

Page  40  {Ch.  XX  XIII,  3) 
An  ancient  custom,  according  to  the  Amarna  tablets. 

THE  STORY  OF  JOSEPH 

Page  42  {Ch.  XXXVII) 

Gunkel  considers  that  the  stories  with  regard  to  Joseph  are  based  on 
Egj'ptian  and  other  foreign  legends. 

Page  43  {Ch.  XXXIX) 
This  is  e\adently  an  Egj'ptian  tale  of  Anuys  and  Bata,  the  two  brothers. 

Page  46  {Ch.  XLI,  33) 

Pharaoh  sends  for  Joseph  to  be  brought  out  of  prison  to  interpret  a 
dream. 

Page  47  {Ch.  XLI,  40) 

According  to  the  customs  of  oriental  despotism  the  most  obscure 
indi\'idual  or  even  slave  might  suddenly  be  made  the  Sultan. 

Page  50  {Ch.  XLIV,  5) 

Divination  by  means  of  a  cup  was  similar  to  our  modern  custom  of 
telling  fortunes  by  means  of  tea  leaves. 

Page  50  {Ch.  XLI II,  32) 

"  In  later  times  the  Jews  would  not  eat  with  foreigners  on  account  of 
the  laws  as  to  ceremonial  cleanness  and  uncleanness;  and  there  is  evi- 
dence that  similar  customs  existed  among  the  Egj^ptians." — Century 
Bible. 


NOTES  253 

Page  64  {Ch.  XLVI,  34) 
The  Egyptians  considered  the  shepherds  rather  as  pariahs. 

Page  56  {Ch.  XLVII,  22) 

"  The  priests,  we  learn  from  the  monuments,  had  vast  estates  like  the 
monasteries  and  clergy  in  the  middle  ages. 

"  We  learn  from  the  monuments  that  a  large  proportion  of  the  land  in 
Egypt  was  held  either  by  the  King  or  the  priests."  —  Century  Bible. 

Page  59  {Ch.  XLIX,  14) 

"  The  Israelites  did  not  consider  the  ass  as  a  foolish  absurd  animal; 
nobles  rode  on  asses  on  state  occasions."  —  Century  Bible. 

Page  37  {Ch.  XXXI,  v.  34) 

Teraphim,  domestic  idols  roughly  made  in  human  form. 


EXODUS 
THE  STORY  OF  MOSES 

In  Genesis  the  writer  describes  the  march  of  the  patriarchs  from  the 
country  of  the  Euphrates  to  that  of  the  Nile.  Four  hundred  years  later 
the  family  of  the  patriarch  has  developed  into  a  nation,  and  their  na- 
tional history  may  be  said  to  commence  in  Exodus. 

Page  65  {Ch.  I,  15) 
Josephus  says  the  Israelites  dug  canals  and  built  pyramids,  and  cities. 

Page  66  {Ch.  Ill,  18) 

"  The  God  of  the  Hebrews  is  thought  of  as  dwelling  in  the  wilderness, 
the  home  of  the  people  before  their  settlement  in  Egypt  under  Joseph 
and  Jacob."  —  Century  Bible. 

Page  6S  {Ch.  V,  5) 
"  The  people  of  the  land  "  were  foreign  slaves. 

Page  68  {Ch.  V,  15) 

In  the  ancient  orient  it  was  easy  for  the  common  people  to  get  direct 
access  to  the  King. 

Page  70  {Ch.  VIII,  3) 

The  Egyptians  kneaded  dough  by  the  hand  in  a  bowl  and  by  the  feet 
in  a  tub. 

Page  71  {Ch.  VIII,  26) 

It  is  implied  that  the  Israelites  would  sacrifice  animals  which  according 
to  the  Egyptians  ought  not  to  be  offered. 

Page  72  {Ch.  IX,  18) 

Hail  and  thunder  rarely  occur  in  Egypt. 
Locusts  are  still  a  trouble  in  Egypt. 


254  THE  BOOK   OF  YAHWEH 

Page  74  {Ch.  XII,  30) 
A  household  in  the  Orient  is  much  larger  than  with  us. 

Page  74  {Ch.  XII,  34) 

The  people  are  prevented  by  their  sudden  departure  from  leavening 
their  dough.  The  Feast  of  Unleavened  Bread  commemorates  the  hasty 
start  of  their  Exodus. 

Page  78  {Ch.  XXXIV) 
Ten  Commandments. 

1.  Only  Yahweh  is  to  be  worshipped. 

2.  No  molten  images  are  to  be  made. 

3.  The  Feast  of  Unleavened  Bread  is  to  be  observed  seven  days. 

4.  Firstling  of  oxen  and  sheep  are  to  be  given  to  Yahweh.  Firstling 
of  ass  and  the  first-born  of  man  are  to  be  redeemed. 

5.  The  Sabbath  shall  be  observed. 

6.  Feasts  are  to  be  observed  at  the  Harvest  and  the  Vintage. 

7.  Three  times  in  the  year  all  males  are  to  appear  before  Yahweh. 

8.  Leavened  bread  not  to  be  offered  with  sacrifices. 

9.  First  fruits  to  be  offered  at  a  sanctua^J^ 
10.  A  kid  not  to  be  boiled  in  its  mother's  milk. 

Page  79  {Ch.  XXXIV,  17) 

"  The  symbolic  blocks  of  wood  or  stone,  rough-hewn  or  in  their  natural 
state  might  be  tolerated."  —  Century  Bible. 

Page  79  {Ch.  XXXIV,  27) 

The  preceding  verses  are  sometimes  called  "  The  Little  Book  of  the 
Covenant"  and  probably  were  the  origin  of  the  Ten  Commandments. 

{Ch.  XXXIV,  28) 

"  The  laws  of  Hammurabi  prove  that  Babylon  in  the  days  of  Abram 
was  a  far  more  civilized  and  highly  organized  state,  than  the  Israel  of 
the  Covenant  was  under  Moses,  500  years  later."  —  Dr.  Bennett. 


NUMBERS 

Numbers   commences  with    Chapter  X,  29-32  —  in  the   Yahwistic 
Document. 

Page  84  {Ch.  XI,  31) 

The  description  is  almost  in  "  complete  accord  with  the  phenomena 
attending  the  annual  migrations  of  the  quails  in  the  Peninsular  at  the 
present  day.  The  quail  winters  in  Africa  and  in  Spring  crosses  to  Pales- 
tine in  myriads.  Making  long  flights  and  always  flying  with  the  wind, 
the  birds  often  alight  in  an  exhausted  condition,  when  they  are  caught  in 
great  numbers."  —  Century  Bible. 

Page  84  {Ch.  II,  32) 
About  100  imperial  bushels. 

Page  85  {Ch.  XIII,  20) 
This  was  the  end  of  July  or  the  Ijeginning  of  August. 


NOTES  255 

{Ch.  XIII,  22) 
The  Anakim  were  men  of  abnormal  stature. 

Page  85  {Ch.  XIII,  29) 

The  Amalekites  were  a  nomad  tribe.  The  Hittites  were  a  non-Semitic 
tribe.     The  Nephilim  were  probably  the  giants. 

Page  89  (Ch.  XX,  17) 
The  ancient  trade  route  through  Edom. 

Page  90  {Ch.  XXI,  27) 
Ballard  singers  or  wandering  minstrels. 

Page  91  {Ch.  XXI,  29) 
Chemosh  was  the  tribal  god  of  the  Moabites. 

Page  91  {Ch.  XXII,  6) 

Balak  wishes  to  have  the  Hebrews  laid  under  a  powerful  spell  which 
was  a  common  belief  of  the  times."  —  Century  Bible. 

Page  92  {Ch.  XXII,  24) 

The  endowment  of  Balaam's  she-ass  with  abnormal  powers  of  vision 
and  even  with  the  power  of  speech  is  the  outstanding  feature  of  the  earlj-- 
Hebrew  folk-tale  and  has  its  analogies  in  almost  every  countrj'  of  the 
West.  —  Century  Bible. 

Page  93  (Ch.  XXII,  4I) 
The  high  places  were  usually  situated  on  hill  tops. 

Page  94  {Ch.  XXIII,  1) 

The  number  seven  plays  a  large  part  also  in  the  ritual  and  incantation 
literature  of  Babylonia.  —  Century  Bible. 

Page  97  {Ch.  XXIV,  21) 
The  reference  is  to  their  almost  inaccessible  rock  dwellings. 

THE  STORY  OF  JOSHUA 

Page  105  {Ch.  II,  6) 

These  stalks  were  two  or  three  feet  long,  and  were  used  to  make  linen 
for  mummy  v\^rappings. 

Page  107  {Ch.  Ill,  15) 

The  River  Jordan  is  about  100  feet  wide,  of  muddy  water. 

Page  108  {Ch.  IV,  70) 

The  number  twelve  probably  of  astral  origin  figures  largely  in  connec- 
ion  with  sacred  objects.  —  Zimmern. 

Page  109  {Ch.  V,  2) 

The  case  of  survival  of  stone  instruments  in  an  iron  age  due  to 
religious  conservatism  found  amongst  the  Egyptians  in  circumcision 
and  in  embalming.  —  Century  Bible. 


256  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

Page  109  {Ch.  V,  16) 

It  is  a  custom  among  the  Samaritans  and  Mohammedans  as  well 
to  enter  their  sanctuaries  barefooted. 

Page  109  {Ch.  VI,  /,) 

The  sacredness  of  the  number  is  variously  emphasized  as  giving  these 
seven-fold  acts  a  supernatural  power:  the  seven-fold  circuit  isolates  the 
city  for  Yahweh.  This  belief  in  the  sacredness  of  "  seven  "  held  also  with 
Egypt  and  India  is  especially  prominent  in  Babylonia  with  its  seven 
planets,  seven  evil  spirits  and  seven-walled  underworld. 

Page  113  {Ch.  VII,  U) 

"  The  defective  sense  of  justice  in  "those  early  days  arose  from  a  de- 
fective sense  of  individuality."  —  Mozley. 

According  to  ancient  ethics  the  guilt  extended  to  the  whole  family 
group. 

Page  117  {Ch.  X,  IS) 

The  book  of  Jasher  is  a  collection  of  ancient  songs  originally  handed 
down  orally. 

Page  118  {Ch.  XI,  6) 

This  custom  of  houghing  was  probably  due  to  Israel's  inability  to  use 
horses  and  chariots. 


THE  STORY  OF  THE  JUDGES 

Note.  —  The  Yahwistic  narrative  commences  in  the  middle  of  the 
15th  verse  of  third  chapter. 

I. 
Page  123  {Ch.  Ill,  20) 

The  room  on  the  flat  roof,  completely  enclosed,  which  was  common  in 
the  East. 

Page  126  {Ch.  IV,  J,) 

It  was  the  custom  at  that  time  to  have  disputes  settled  by  some  one 
distinguished  for  wisdom. 

Page  127  {Ch.  IV,  21) 

When  the  camp  was  pitched,  it  was  part  of  the  women's  work  to  drive 
in  the  tent  pins. 

Page  127  {Ch.  V,  4) 

In  the  time  of  Samuel  and  David  all  the  Hebrew  tribes  acknowledged 
Yahweh  as  their  God. 

In  those  days  it  is  believed  by  many,  the  sky  was  regarded  as  a  solid 
covering  to  the  earth. 

Page  131  {Ch.  V,  6) 

Caravans  were  compelled  to  keep  to  their  tracks  on  their  way  from  one 
place  to  another,  and  so  these  wayfarers  were  compelled  to  abandon 
their  roads  and  make  their  way  by  crooked  and  abandoned  paths. 


NOTES  257 

Page  131  (Ch.  VI,  26) 
The  asherah  is  the  pole  or  post  set  up  beside  an  altar. 

Page  136  {Ch.  VIII,  27) 
The  ephod  was  an  image  used  in  consulting  the  oracle. 

Page  140  {Ch.  IX,  45) 
An  expression  for  making  utterly  desolate.  —  Century  Bible. 

Page  I43  {Ch.  XI,  34) 

She  was  dancing  to  the  accompaniment  of  tambourines  played  by 
her  attendants. 

Page  145  {Ch.  XIII,  6) 

Probably  similar  to  the  wandering  dervishes  in  Arabia  and  fakirs  in 
India. 

Page  145  {Ch.  XIII,  22) 

It  was  a  common  belief  that  to  see  God  meant  death  to  man. 

Page  I48  {Ch.  XV,  1) 

About  the  month  of  May. 

Page  151  {Ch.  XVI,  23) 
Dagon  the  tribal  God  of  the  Philistines  was  worshipped  in  Ashdod. 

Page  152  {Ch.  XVI,  ) 

Sir  James  Frazer  says  the  story  of  Samson  is  that  of  an  utterly  un- 
scrupulous and  selfish  adventurer.  And  it  is  "only  redeemed  from  the 
vulgarity  of  commonplace  rascality  by  the  elements  of  supernatural 
strength,  headlong  valor  and  a  certain  grim  humour,  which  together 
elevated  it  to  a  sort  of  burlesque  epic,  after  the  manner  of  Ariosto. 

Page  152  {Ch.  XVII,  1) 

Micah  is  none  the  less  a  worshipper  of  Yahweh  because  he  has  images. 
—  Century  Bible. 

Page  152  {Ch.  XVII,  5) 
The  teraphim  were  household  gods,  partly  at  least  in  human  form. 


THE  STORY  OF  SAMUEL 
Page  161 

This  is  the  Book  of  the  "  Former  Prophets  ";  that  is,  Joshua,  Judges, 
Samuel  and  Kings.  The  Book  of  Samuel  was  separated  into  two  sec- 
tions only  in  1517. 

The  Ark  was  "  the  visible  symbol  of  the  presence  of  Yahweh." 

{1  Sam.  I,  4) 

Sacrifices  were  divided  into  the  offering  burnt  on  the  altar  of  Yahweh, 
the  portion  for  the  food  of  the  priests  and,  third,  the  rest  reverted  to 
the  worshipper  who  with  his  retinue  ate  of  it  within  the  sanctuary 
limits. 


258  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

(i  Satn.  II,  19) 

What  the  ephod  really  was  is  not  j^et  decided.  The  references  to  it 
are  not  correlative  for  it  is  carried  by  a  priest,  is  used  in  divination,  is 
wholly  or  partly  of  precious  metal,  is  a  small  image  or  idol  (1  Sam. 
XXI,  9)  and  here  appears  as  the  "  ephod  bad  "  or  ephod  of  linen,  a  short 
skirt,  or  possibly  a  sash. 

Page  162  (1  Satn.  V,  1,  2) 

Ashdod,  now  Esdud,  halfway  between  Joppa  and  Gaza,  was  the  princi- 
pal city  of  the  Philistine  Federation,  Pentapolis. 
War  trophies  alv/ays  were  placed  in  a  temple. 

Page  163  {1  Sam.  V,  6) 

Thej'  leapt  over  the  threshold,  not  to  step  on  it  since  the  fragments  of 
the  image  of  the  god  Dagon  rested  on  it  and  made  it  sacred.  This  rite 
is  of  many  other  cults,  also. 

{1  Sam.  VII,  3) 

Strange  gods  were  those  of  other  nations  than  Israel.  Ashtaroth  is  a 
plural  and  means  all  the  images  of  Astarte,  or  Ishtar. 

Page  183  {1  Sam.  VII,  6) 

Mispar  or  Mispeh,  a  watchtower. 

Page  165 

"  One  of  the  most  tragic  figures  in  the  history  of  Israel  is  that  of  Saul, 
the  first  king  of  the  nation.  ...  A  shrewd  man  of  affairs  as  well  as  an 
ecclesiastic  of  the  most  rigid  type,  Samuel  had  dexterously  contrived  not 
only  to  anoint  but  to  nominate  the  new  king  on  whom  the  hopes  of  Israel 
now  centered.  .  .  .  His  tall  and  stately  form,  his  gallant  bearing,  his 
skilful  generalship  and  dauntless  courage  on  the  field  of  battle,  all 
marked  him  out  as  a  natui-al  leader  of  men.  Yet,  under  a  showy  exterior, 
this  dashing  and  popular  soldier  concealed  some  fatal  infirmities,  — 
a  jealous  and  suspicious  disposition,  a  choleric  temper,  a  weakness  of 
will,  a  vacillation  of  purpose,  and,  above  all,  a  brooding  melancholy 
under  which  his  intellect,  never  of  a  high  order,  sometimes  trembled  on 
the  verge  of  insanity.  In  such  dark  hours  the  profound  dejection  which 
clouded  his  brain  could  only  be  lightened  and  dispelled  by  the  soothing 
strains  of  solemn  music;  and  one  of  the  most  graphic  pictures  painted 
for  us  by  the  Hebrew  historian  is  that  of  the  handsome  king  sitting  sunk 
in  gloom,  while  the  minstrel  boy,  the  ruddy-cheeked  David,  stood  before 
him  discoursing  sweet  music  on  the  trembling  strings  of  the  harp,  till 
the  frown  passed  from  the  royal  brow  and  the  sufferer  found  a  truce  to  his 
uneasy  thoughts."  — Folk  Lore  in  the  Old  Testament. 

Page  167  {1  Sam.  X,  1) 

Here  is  the  first  mention  of  the  rite  of  anointing  as  part  of  the  conse- 
cration to  kingship,  but  without  doubt  it  was  an  old  custom  from  Egypt, 
although  it  appears  not  to  have  been  used  in  Babylonia. 

Page  170  {1  Sam.  XIII,  9) 

Sacrifices  of  consecration  of  the  soldiery  were  made  at  the  beginnings 
of  campaigns.     See  taboo  effects  in  1  Sam.  XXI,  4  and  2  Sam.  XI,  11. 


NOTES  259 

Page  174  U  Sam.  XIV,  37) 
Yahweh  was  silent  because  the  food  taboo  had  been  broken. 

Page  176  {1  Sam.  XVI,  U) 

That  is,  the  evil  spirit  had  been  permitted  by  Yahweh  to  appear  to 
Saul.  It  is  agreed  now  that  Saul  had  "  morbid  melancholia  "  for  which 
music  is  considered  a  valuable  help. 

(1  Sam.  VII,  15) 

Israel  has  reached  its  long-sought  ideal  and  become  a  theocracy,  a 
nation  ruled  directly  by  God,  with  Samuel  as  the  mouthpiece  and 
representative  of  Yahweh. 

Page  186  {1  Sam.  XXV) 

^  The  story  of  Abigail  is  called  a  masterpiece  of  earliest  Hebrew  narra- 
tion. 

Page  186 

"  So  long  as  Samuel  lived,  Saul  was  little  more  than  a  tool  in  hands 
far  stronger  than  his  own.  The  prophet  was  indeed  one  of  those  master- 
ful natures,  those  fanatics  cast  in  an  iron  mould,  who,  mistaking  their 
own  unbending  purpose  for  the  will  of  heaven,  march  forward  unswerv- 
ingly to  their  goal,  trampling  down  all  opposition,  their  hearts  steeled 
against  every  tender  emotion  of  humanity  and  pity.  .  .  .  While  Saul 
was  content  to  do  the  bidding  of  this  imperious  mentor  ...  he  was 
graciously  permitted  to  strut  before  the  eyes  of  the  \ailgar  wearing  his 
shadowy  crown;  but  no  sooner  did  he  dare  to  diverge  by  a  hair's  breadth 
from  the  ruthless  commands  laid  on  him  by  his  spiritual  director,  than 
Samuel  broke  his  puppet  king  and  threw  him  away  as  an  instrument 
that  had  ceased  to  serve  his  purpose."  —  Sir  James  G  Frazer. 

Page  192 

"  Yet  a  thought  struck  the  king.  Might  he  not  summon  up  the  dead 
seer  from  the  grave  and  elicit  words  of  hope  and  comfort  from  his  ghostly 
lips?  .  .  .  He  had  himself  driven  into  exile  all  the  practitioners  of  the 
black  art  ....  between  him  and  the  witch's  home  lay  the  whole 
army  of  the  Philistines.  To  go  by  day  would  have  been  to  court  death. 
It  was  necessary  to  wait  for  nightfall."  ..."  The  demand  [for  SamuelJ 
startled  the  necromancer,  and  looking  hard  at  her  visitor  she  discerned 
him  to  be  the  king.  In  great  alarm,  believing  she  had  been  caught  in  a 
trap,  she  cried  out.  .  .  .  But  the  king  pacified  her  .  .  .  soon  .  .  .  she 
saw  something  invisible  to  them.  So  the  king  perceived  it  was  the  ghost 
of  Samuel,  and  he  bowed  with  his  face  to  the  ground,  and  did  obeisance. 
.  .  .  But  the  unhappy  monarch  found  'the  ghost  as  hard  and  implacable 
as  the  living  prophet.  ..."  —  Sir  James  G.  Eraser. 

Page  192  {1  Sam.  XXVIII,  3-20) 

Modern  translators  seem  to  think  verse  12  has  an  error  and  that  it 
should  read  Saul  for  Samuel  and  be  "  And  when  the  woman  saw  Saul." 

Page  193 

Necromancy,  bringing  the  spirits  of  the  dead  again  to  earth  to  aid  the 
living  by  their  wisdom,  seems  ingrained  in  human  nature  from  the 


260  THE  BOOK  OF  YAHWEH 

earliest  ages  to  the  present  time  and  no  laws  however  strict  can  prevent 
the  attempt.  Saul's  yielding  is  a  strong  case  in  point.  The  practice 
started  in  earliest  heathen  times  and  no  law  of  Israel  could  avail  against 
the  urge  in  days  of  dire  trouble  when  the  accepted  religious  observances 
and  beliefs  seemed  inadequate. 

Sir  James  Frazer  says,  "  The  practice  of  necromancy  was  probably 
common  to  the  Hebrews  with  other  branches  of  the  Semitic  race.  A 
clear  reference  to  it  appears  to  be  contained  in  the  twelfth  canto  of  the 
Gilgamesh  epic." 

Samuel  and  Kings  originally  formed  one  connected  narrative  or  book. 

Page  201  {2  Sam.  I,  17) 

This  song  and  that  of  Deborah  in  Judges  are  the  two  oldest  pieces  of 
Hebrew  poetrj'  now  known. 

Page  210  {2  Sam.  VI,  14) 
He  whirled  like  a  dervish.     Ephod,  a  short  skirt  or  sash  here. 

Page  231  {2  Sam.  XIX,  23) 

This  passage  of  David's  grief  is  regarded  as  one  of  the  most  perfect 
examples  of  literarj-  art  in  the  Old  Testament. 

Folk  Lore  Club. 
Nassau,  N.  P.,  Bahama  Islands.  C  M. 

1921. 


DATE 

DUE 

^^^^m^ 

^''■***^-^^^>.- 

GAYLORD 

PRINTED  IN  USA 

BS195.2.M28 

The  book  of  Yahweh  (the  Yahwist  Bible) 

Princeton  Theological  Semmary-Speer  Library 


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